Transfer
by Raudell
Summary: Clark wakes up one morning and realizes that something is different. But will even this be enough to bring him and Lois closer? Clois.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: Transfer  
**Author**: Areon (Kaleb)  
**Rating**: T  
**Disclaimer**: All characters belong to DC Comics, Warner Bros., Al Gough, Miles Millar, etc. etc.  
**Spoilers**: Season 4  
**Placement**: After Spirit (4.18)  
**Quick Summary**: Clark wakes up one morning and realizes that something is different. But will even this be enough to bring him and Lois closer?  
**Special Thanks**: All the Smallville fanfiction writers that have inspired me to write my own work, but especially Sk8erGur1 and Leto1281. Each of them have written stories that inspired ideas that play a major role in this story. I want to give special thanks to SunRei, too, for her very excellent stories. Her writing especially has shown me what is possible to do with fanfiction and challenged me to write at such a level. And last but not least, I want to thank everyone that reviews this story. You are what make writing so much fun.

**Chapter One**

The first rays of sunlight gleamed through the window of Clark's room, causing him to stir. He would need to get up soon. His chores called to him, especially since his parents were out of town. They were taking a weekend trip to Metropolis for there quarterly date. The two of them would have gone out more often, but they simply couldn't afford to take the trip more than once every three months. Clark was glad that his parents were allowed even that simple pleasure, and he didn't mind taking care of the farm by himself every once and a while. It wasn't like the farm work took a great deal of time to finish, at least for him. If he worked at full speed, he could get all his chores done in twenty minutes. Well, save milking the cows. That had to be done at normal speed, and it took a good twenty to thirty minutes to do. Still, he would need to get up soon, before Lois woke up, so that he could finish as much work as possible before having to slow down upon her appearance.

Lois. Thinking about her made him realize where he was. How had he ended up in his own bed? Lois wouldn't have taken the couch, even he wouldn't have let her, and she wouldn't have agreed to it either. And he knew she had stayed the night, and that she had ended up in his bed. The two of them had watched a movie the night before, and she had fallen asleep half-way through, so he had carried her up to her bed and tucked her in. Then he had gone back downstairs and laid down on the couch.

He suddenly froze. He had gone back down to the couch, hadn't he? As he took in a deep breath, he realized that Lois' scent was a lot closer than it should have been. Oh dear. She was so going to kill him. What had possessed him to get in bed with her? He shuddered. The thought even made him nauseous. Sure, she was gorgeous, but she was also Lois. This shouldn't have been in the realm of possibility. As she had once said, men would learn to fly before the two of them would end up together. Okay, so that wasn't the best possible phrase to use, seeing as how he had flown (albeit as Kal-El) earlier this year.

Clark once again ran through the events of the previous night, and after doing so, he was still confused. He distinctly remembered coming back downstairs and lying down on the couch. So how had he ended up in her bed? Had he sleepwalked up there? He'd never had a problem with that before, but it could have happened. Or perhaps he had simply lost his memory from the past few days, and she had left to visit her father or something, and that's why he was in his bed. Frankly, he wouldn't have minded at all, in this case, that that be true. Losing his memory would be so much better than waking up next to Lois. While there was a small part of him that would love to wake up next to her, all of him understood how bad it would be if she found out.

Now he really had to get out of bed before she woke up. He still hadn't opened his eyes (he knew that if he did it would make everything a reality, and he wasn't quite ready for that yet), but he knew he was on the far left side of the bed, and he knew he had enough room on that side to get out. He slid one of his legs out from under his blankets, and...completely fell off the bed, making a lot of noise when he hit the floor. _Ow!_ he thought to himself. _That...hurt?_ That made even less sense than waking up next to Lois. What was wrong with him today? He'd have to figure it out later. Right now he had to get out of the room.

He pulled himself up slowly and took a peak on the bed. It was empty. Maybe he had lost his memory. That would explain why he was in his own bed, why he thought he had fallen asleep on the couch, and likely why his head hurt so badly after hitting the floor. Although the explanation to that one had to be very interesting. Well, unless it was another large solar flare. Just great. He really didn't want to have to go through that again. Still, it was better than waking up next to Lois.

He stood up, and felt an odd sensation near his chest as he did. He looked down at himself. And suddenly it all clicked. He wished it hadn't. _This is a nightmare, _he thought. This was to much to handle, even for him. He felt his emotions starting to swell, as tears threatened to break down the gates on his eyes. He attempted to hold them back, but his defenses were simply not strong enough to handle the onslaught. He broke down, falling to his knees and burying his face in his hands. He could accept any of the ideas that he had come up with since he woke up. Anything, that is, except for this. It was too much to handle. And so he did the only thing he was capable of at the moment: he sat by the edge of the bed and cried.

* * *

She was awake. She wasn't quite sure why, as of yet. The sounds that had awoken her still hadn't quite registered in her mind yet. All she knew was that it was a Saturday morning, the Kent's were out of town, she didn't have to be at work until one, and, judging by the amount of sunlight coming in the window, it wasn't anywhere near one. In fact, it had to be just barely past dawn. This was not the Saturday morning she was looking forward to, and as soon as she figured out who was responsible for waking her up, she was going to vent her frustration on him. Yes, it had to be Clark. He was the only one there.

She suddenly realized where she was: the couch. She must have fallen asleep last night while watching the movie. Perhaps Clark had fallen asleep as well, and him getting up had awoken her. But that would mean that they...well, it wasn't the end of the world. So she slept with Clark. It wasn't that big of a deal. The two of them were friends, even if they didn't really admit it to each other, and what they had done the night before had been completely innocent. There was really nothing to worry about. At least the Kent's were out of town and hadn't caught them like that. Well, actually, that wouldn't have been so bad either. It would have been worth it to see Clark squirm. She smiled. Yes, that would have been fun.

She then realized that it wasn't exactly 'fun' that had awoken her. Someone had been crying, and still was. And from the sound of it, it was a young girl or a woman. It didn't sound familiar, but then it didn't make any sense, either. Her and Clark were the only two people at the farm. She supposed it could have been Lana, but then it didn't sound like her cry either, and she'd heard it several times before. Whoever it was, it was someone in need. And it called out to her. It was a hopeless cry, and she wasn't about to let some girl go through that alone. She pushed the blanket that was around her off, and stood up off the couch, looking around.

Something was wrong. Or rather, different. While she couldn't see the girl who was crying, what she could see surprised her. She had always been blessed with exceptional vision, but this was insane. Almost as if she was looking at the world through a pair of binoculars. Everything was so clear, so detailed. What was going on?

Figuring this out could wait until later. Right now she had to find this girl. She listened more closely, and realized that the crying was coming from behind her, from her room. This girl must have been crying louder than she had thought, if she was able to hear her from the living room. Now she knew she was needed. She hurried up the stairs and opened the door to her bedroom, pulling it completely off. She looked into the room at the sight in front of her, down to the door in her hand, down at her bare chest and boxers, then back up to the girl in her room. She cursed under her breath, then fainted, dropping the door on top of her.

* * *

When...Lois, he assumed, walked into the room, everything became all the more real. The realization hit him hard, increasing the intensity of his tears. It took him several minutes to overcome his tears, but concern for Lois eventually won out and he composed himself, wiped away his tears (smearing the little bit of makeup that he had on just a little bit), and worked his way over to her..er, him...er, whatever. He wasn't concerned about her safety (he had finally decided on which personal pronoun to use), because she wasn't going to get hurt while she was in his body. But he was still concerned about her. By her reaction, she was as shocked as he was. He managed to get the door off of her and set it aside. Then he attempted to wake her.

"Lois? Lois, wake up." Hearing Lois' voice come out of his mouth was still way to weird.

She stirred. "What...ah..." She began to come to, opened her eyes (or rather, his eyes, but let's not go there) and looked up at herself. Again, she swore, only this time it wasn't under her breath. "Okay, uh...Smallville?...why am I not in my body?"

"What, so you're blaming me for this? I'm as confused and shocked about all of this as you are."

Yep, it was definitely Smallville. Only he could look that annoyed and concerned for her at the same time. As he helped her up, she glanced down at the discarded door. "Okay, can you at least explain why I was able to rip the door off its hinges?"

"Uh..." Oh dear. He totally wasn't prepared for this. He quickly searched his mind for any plausible explanation. But nothing that she would believe came to mind. A few of his excuses would have worked on a normal person, but this was Lois. She had this uncanny ability to see right through him. And he hated lying to her anyway, perhaps more than he hated lying to anyone.

"Well?"

"You pulled to hard on the door?"

Lois laughed at his explanation. "Yes, I kind of figured that. And I know that you are strong, but pulling a door completely off its hinges is kind of in the superhuman realm. Is there something that you want to tell me?"

"Uh, no." He really did want to tell her, and he still didn't want to lie to her, but his father's training was to ingrained in him to not look for a way out of all this.

"That's fair, I guess. Is there anything else I might need to know about you while we get this figured out? I'm not going to accidentally shoot lasers out of my eyes anytime soon, right?" His face paled and his mouth dropped in surprise. _Do I really look like that when I'm surprised? _Lois wondered. Then it dawned on her. "Wait a minute. You mean I have to worry about that too?"

He nodded weakly. He had a feeling that this day was only going to get worse from here.

"Okay, I understand you not wanting to share. People keep secrets for a reason, and from the looks of things you have better reasons for keeping them than most people. But I don't want to hurt anyone, and I don't want to expose you on accident either. You've got to tell me what to expect. Do you have any other gifts that I might need to know about?"

She was right, of course. He hated it when she was right. There was no avoiding this. He had to tell her the truth, for his own safety as well as the safety of others. "Uh...I can run pretty fast too."

"Okay, so how fast are we talking here? Thirty miles an hour? Or a hundred?"

"I can run to Metropolis and back in twenty minutes."

Her mouth dropped. "But it's a three hour drive! It even takes me two and a half hours." She took a deep breath and attempted to compose herself. It was a lot to take in. But farmboy...er...yeah, that'll have to work. She was anything but a farmgirl, and it was easier to stick to the familiar. Farmboy here must be having a hard time with all of this as well. No wonder the boy was so insecure. With a secret like he was hiding, he couldn't help but fear a bit what people thought of him. If she had his gifts, which apparently now she did, she would be a bit apprehensive as well.

"I can also see through things and can hear a pin drop from a mile away. Oh, and I'm kind of invulnerable." He paused at this, and let her take it all in.

She slowly processed what he had told her. _See through things?_ A thought occurred to her then, but she quickly dismissed it. Smallville was to much of a boyscout to do anything like that. "Kind of invulnerable? As in bulletproof?"

"Yes. The only thing that can hurt me is Krypt...uh, meteor rocks. I'm invulnerable to everything else."

Suddenly it all made sense. The times he had been there at just the right moment. The time he had saved her from that psycho running back. His quick exits and the totally annoying hero-complex. Everything clicked into place. And her respect for him increased astronomically. He wasn't just a simple yes-ma yes-pa farmboy anymore. He saved lives and took zero credit for it. He was something greater than a man. He was a super man, and he wasn't one because of his gifts. If she could end up with a man even half as noble as he was, she would be in heaven.

"Who else knows about this?"

"My parents, and an old friend of mine named Pete. He found out when he found my spaceship-" he abruptly stopped. Oops. That wasn't what he had meant to say. Tears began to form behind his eyes once again. Finding out about his powers was one thing. Now she was going to freak.

Lois processed his slip quickly. Okay, so he was an alien. There were worse things in the world to be. Psychopaths and rapists being very high up on that list. Being an alien wasn't anywhere near the top, at least in her mind. She looked at him and saw the tears in his eyes. She would have to teach him how to keep his hormones in check. But not now. Right now he needed assurance. She took him by the arms and looked straight into the hazel eyes he was currently using. They were downcast.

"Clark, look at me." She waited for him to do so, then continued. "You are an amazing person. I've thought this even before everything I've learned today. Sure, you can be really annoying sometimes, and really get on my nerves, but you're an amazing person none the less." She watched as he smiled at this, and she smiled in return. "What I've learned today has only increased my respect for you. Alien or not, you are a great person. You are more human than most of the people I know. If I think of you differently after today, it's not going to be because of what you are. It's going to be because of who you are, because of the man you...uh...well, you know what I mean."

Clark laughed through the tears that were falling down his face. Although this time they were not tears of fear or hopelessness. They were tears of joy. She accepted him for who he was. He couldn't believe it. This was turning out to be a better day than he ever thought it could be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

After a brief, awkward hug between the two of them (awkward because it is a little weird to hug yourself, not awkward because of who they were hugging), Lois got dressed, and then the two of them headed downstairs and sat down on the couch. They spent the next couple of hours opening up like neither had ever done before. Clark shared what his life had been like growing up, how he had struggled to control his powers, his many escapades with Pete and/or Chloe, his whole Lana stalker phase, why he wanted to play football, why he decided to turn down his scholarship to MU, his worries about his future destiny and his troubles with his biological father, his three month red-K induced trip to Metropolis and life of crime, his "rebirth" last year, and anything else that was interesting enough to share with her. Lois in turn told him about her travels around the world with her father, her fits of rebellion, her escort to prom and how she had gotten out of it, her past disasters with various boyfriends, the real reason she had flunked out of her last semester of high school, her desires for her sister and the problems that they had had growing up, and other random facts about herself. Both shared under the facade of needing to know about the other if they were to keep up appearances and lead everyone to believe that nothing had changed, but the reality of it was that both of them were interested in understanding the other better.

"So you actually stole a tank and demanded that the General raise your allowance?" Clark was smiling widely and laughing as he said it.

"Yeah, I did. And daddy walked right up to it and threatened to lower my allowance if I didn't get out right that instant. I drove the tank forward ever so slightly, but he didn't flinch. He just stood there. He wouldn't give in, and neither would I. So I sat and he stood there for at least an hour. I wasn't used to the heat of the tank though, and passed out. When I woke up I was in the medical bay, and had tubes running into my veins. Apparently I had gotten dehydrated, and I ended up spending a week in recovery."

"Wow. All of this at nine years of age? Did you at least get your allowance changed?"

"Actually, yeah. He took it all away. I never had an allowance after that. The General's a firm believer in the 'tough love' approach."

The conversation paused at this point, as the clock signaled the start of an hour, and both of them looked over to check the time. It was eleven O'Clock. The two of them had been talking for the past five hours. Clark broke the silence, knowing she didn't like it.

"We should switch bodies more often. I haven't had this much fun just talking and hanging out in a long time."

Lois groaned. She had nearly forgotten about their body switching. Not that it wasn't blatantly apparent, given the fact that she had been looking into her own face for the past several hours, but the thought had been pushed to the background of her mind. "Why did you have to bring that up, Smallville? I had nearly forgotten about it." Her tone was only slightly annoyed, and Clark understood it because he had used it many times before. She wasn't really mad at him. She was only upset about their current predicament.

"I don't know. The only time this has happened before was with the-" Before he could finish, Lois interrupted him.

"Wait? This has happened to you before? Shouldn't this have been one of the first things that you mentioned?" This time she did sound upset. Great. Way to mess with the moment.

"Well, I didn't think the current situation was related. Last time I switched bodies with Lionel Luthor, but it was done using one of the stones of power. I was able to switch back using the stone again, but in the confusion at the prison, the stone disappeared. I haven't seen it since."

Lois considered this for a moment. Whatever had caused there current predicament, it wasn't likely due to the stone. But it could help solve their problems. "This stone of power...didn't you pull one from Lex's jet when you were this...uh..."

"Kal-El," Clark told her.

"Yeah, this Kal-El person?"

"Yes, but that stone doesn't work like that. Each of the three stones is unique, and I only have one of them...the wrong one. And I'm not even sure if it would work or not, since I'm not sure what happened to us to get us into this current situation."

Lois nodded. It was becoming clear to her that this wasn't going to be solved today. She had to be at work in a few hours, and Clark had some work to do around the farm...her eyes suddenly went wide.

Clark noticed. "What is it?"

"What are we going to do about work? I have to be at the Talon at one, Ashley's sick, and Mrs. Kent is out of town, so I have to show."

"I'll work the shift," Clark offered. "I've helped my mom enough times to know what is going on. I'm sure I can handle it."

Lois wasn't so sure. It had taken her a week of Mrs. Kent's constant patience before she was able to handle the Talon by herself, and Clark would have to handle it by himself for a good portion of the day. On a Saturday. But if he said he could handle it...

"What I'm worried about right now is the farm work. We have got to get that started right away, or there's no way we'll get it done before I leave."

"What are you saying, Smallville? You can handle my life, no problem, but I'm going to need help with yours?" A small smirk played along her lips as she said this, but Clark failed to see it.

Clark sighed. That hadn't come out at all the way he had wanted it to. "No, of course not. I just thought you should get some practice with my abilities before I have to leave you for the day. I didn't mean to imply anything about your competence."

"Oh, so now my competence is in question? What are you trying to tell me, Smallville?"

_So this is how she's going to play it. _"No, your competence isn't in question. I have a feeling you would be great in bed." Lois' mouth dropped. Did he really just say that? He had said it so fast, perhaps she had misheard him. Yes, that must have been it. "Although I do think your communication skills could use some work. Let me give you a few pointers: when someone is talking, it is a good idea to _listen_ to them. That helps a lot when you are trying to understand what they are saying."

Lois looked at Clark, and he at her, and then they both smiled. This game could go on forever, but both of them had a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it in. "You're right," Lois replied. "I mean, about it being a good idea to get some practice with your abilities. I don't want to accidentally kill someone. Or burn down the farm. Your parents would get pretty mad at me for that. Actually, I guess they'd blame you. Hmmm...that's not actually a bad idea..." Lois paused and waited for Clark's comeback to her playful joke, but it didn't come. Had he even been listening to her? "Uh, Clark?"

Clark shook his head, as if trying to clear his thoughts. "Sorry Lois. I was just thinking..." He paused.

Lois took a good look at him. That looked like her nervous face, though she didn't show it very often, so she wasn't sure. She thought about giving him a hard time about not listening to her before, since he had told her that she needed to learn to listen and then had not followed his own advice, but she thought better of it. Something was bothering him. "Okay, spill. What's on your mind?"

"Um...well...I uh, I'm going to have to get dressed at some point. And if things stay like this for any length of time, I'm going to have to take a shower, too."

Lois looked down at him. He was still wearing her pajamas. His hair was a mess, and the makeup that she had put on, for no particular reason, the day before was smeared on his face from his tears earlier. There was no way that she would let him go out in public looking like that. She didn't really care what people thought of her, at least that is what she told herself, but even she had her standards. He was going to need a shower before he headed to the Talon. She smiled slightly. This was definitely going to be an interesting conversation.

* * *

Clark looked down at the items in front of him, terrified. Never had he been so afraid. How had he been reduced to this? He was brave. He was strong. He could do this. He made life and death decisions every day. Why couldn't he make himself just reach down and touch them? That would be the first step. If he could just place his hands on them, his left hand on the left one and his right hand on the right one, he was sure he could handle the rest. But his fear paralyzed him. The signals being sent by his brain to his hands weren't being followed. Why had he ever agreed to take this shower? 

He had to concentrate. Concentration was key. He took a deep breath and willed his hands into action. A few inches from their destination, they stopped. His fear had once again taken over. But this was a step in the right direction. The last time he had attempted this, he had attained similar success, but had pulled his hands away once his fear came back in full force. He once again took a deep breath, and focused. He only had a few inches to go. He could do this. With a last burst of willpower, he closed the remaining two inches and placed his hands around the items in question. He was half way there. Now came the hard part.

It took him a few more minutes to work up the courage to attempt the next stage of his plan. The courage came easier this time, and he relaxed a little. His fear quelled for the time being, he once again willed his hands into action. He turned his left hand to the left three times and his right hand to the left once, and water spilled from the shower head. He removed his hands from the hot and cold water nobs, allowed his arms to fall down to his sides, and shook his head. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

Lois was frustrated. No, she was beyond frustrated. She was down right furious. It didn't seem like she could do anything right. I mean how hard was it to stack bales of hay? She looked around the barn contemplatively. Apparently, pretty hard. The barn was a disaster. It was far worse now than how it had been when she started. For every bale of hay she had successfully stacked, three more had ended up at various locations around the barn. She really needed to get this super-strength thing under control. What frustrated her even more was that Smallville could have gotten the whole stack done in a matter of minutes. Yet she had spent the last thirty minutes on it, and had only managed to stack four bales of hay up. The rest were scattered everywhere. And her current body was no exception. It was covered in hay. Farmboy didn't appear to sweat, even a small amount, but it looked like she was still going to have to take a shower when this was all over. Not that she wouldn't mind seeing Clark in the buff again. She wouldn't mind at all. It was just a little bit different when the body you were admiring was your own, or at least on temporary lease. And Smallville had shown her nothing but respect so far. 

Lois thought back to his little "demonstration" in the bathroom earlier that day. She had spied on him with his x-ray vision and superhuman hearing, justifying her actions by telling herself that she was just practicing her new abilities. And what she had seen had made her laugh. Clark had stood there for nearly ten minutes trying to muster up the courage to turn on the shower, and when he had finally accomplished that, all he did was remove his shirt and stick his head under the water. Always the boyscout. Well, besides that little comment that he had made about her competence earlier. But then he hadn't really said it. She had just imagined it.

After Clark had gotten cleaned up, dressed, and left for the Talon, she had begun stacking the hay. Or, at least she had attempted to do so. She wasn't having much luck so far. She did have to give herself some credit, though. Clark had had eighteen years to practice his abilities. She had only had them for a matter of hours. Still, she wasn't going to let that stop her. She was Lois Lane. Well, in spirit anyway. She wasn't about to let this get the best of her. She would show Clark that she could handle this. She wasn't about to let him get the best of her. If he could handle her life, then she could handle his. With new found determination, Lois grabbed the nearest stack of hay from the barn floor...and threw it out the loft window. She sighed. This was going to be a long day.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The Kent's arrived back at the farm very late Saturday night. They had enjoyed themselves immensely, but both were exhausted. These weekend dates always took a lot out of them. Jonathan obtained their bags from the back of the truck while Martha went inside to fix them something to eat. It had been a long trip, and both of them needed to fill their empty stomachs before getting to bed. Jonathan entered the house and dropped their bags down by the couch, pausing when he noticed something odd. The couch was empty. Where was Clark?

"Martha, I'm going up to the loft to check on Clark. He isn't on the couch."

"Okay, honey," she replied.

When Jonathan entered the barn, he stopped and his eyes went wide. It was a disaster. There was hay everywhere, several support beams were broken, there was a large whole in one of the walls, and farm tools were randomly sprawled everywhere. What exactly had happened in here? After he recovered from the shock of it all, he headed towards the loft stairs. At least those were still intact. When he reached the top, again he was taken back. The loft was a disaster as well, only this time it looked like a planned disaster. Clark's drawings from the cave were scattered all over the table, a bulletin board of sorts was set up in the corner of the room, with various articles and photos tacked up on it, and Chloe's computer sat on the floor, near the couch.

The couch. Now there was an interesting sight. Clark, Chloe, and Lois all sat on it, asleep. Lois was on the far right side, Chloe was beside her, snuggled up against her, and Clark took up the left cushion, with his arms wrapped around Chloe as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Jonathan wanted an explanation, but it could wait until morning. The three of them looked worn out.

A mischievous smile spread across his face as he viewed the scene before him. An idea had occurred to him. He hurried back into the house as quietly as he could manage, attempting not to wake them. He entered the kitchen asked Martha to go get the camera, then lead her out to the barn. He warned her that it was a disaster before they went in, and then he lead her up to the loft, where she smiled happily at the sight before her. This was going to make a great picture.

_

* * *

Earlier that day..._

Five O'Clock. Four hours. That was all he had been able to manage. Although managing wasn't exactly the word he would have used for it. When Denise had come in at four-thirty, she had been...he wasn't sure what word to use. Shocked was to soft of a term to describe her reaction. She had put up with him for another half hour, then demanded that he head home. She would close the Talon tonight. "No one," she had said, " should be working when they're as sick as you are. Go home and get some rest." He had heartily obliged. Not that he was really sick. That was just the first excuse he had been able to come up with for his terrible performance. He still couldn't believe everything there was to running a coffee shop. How did Lois manage to do it everyday? He had a new-found respect for the woman.

Back on the farm, Lois hadn't been fairing much better. She had given up on the farm work an hour earlier. She was undoing more work than she was accomplishing. She just wasn't a farm girl, and her new abilities weren't helping matters any. She had yet another point to add to her growing list of reasons why her and Clark Kent could never end up together: she wasn't cut out to be a farm wife. Although now that she knew about his heritage, she was going to have to cross out several of them. She could no longer see him taking over the farm, marrying Lana Lang, and having 1.8 children. He was meant for greater things, and despite what he feared, it wasn't to take over the world.

And so Lois situated herself comfortably in the hay and began to think contemplatively. Her mind wandered here and there, and thought about Clark, what he had told her earlier about his life, her misconceptions about him, how screwed up her relationships with the General and her sister were, how bizarre this whole situation was, reasons why this might have happened, possible causes for the situation, the stones, and how she really hoped they were able to reverse their body switch, because she didn't think she could handle wearing plaid for the rest of her life. Hmmm...there was actually something she could do about that, and if they didn't fix this soon, she was definitely going shopping. Before she could think about that any further, however, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

"What did the bad barn say to get you so upset?" Clark teased.

"Smallville, what are you doing here? You don't get off at the Talon until nine."

"Denise sent me home. She thought I was sick. But the more important question would be, what were you doing here? I really can't think of anything that the barn ever did to you."

"Wait, you are sick?" Lois got up and put her hand on his forehead. "You don't feel hot."

"Oh, I definitely am," Clark said under his breath.

Lois' mouth dropped. What had gotten into him? That was the second comment of its kind today. "Was that a compliment?"

Clark gulped. "I keep forgetting you have my ears. You weren't supposed to hear that."

"Oh," Lois said. She wondered if he made comments similar to that a lot, or if this was a recent development. She didn't think the day would come when Clark Kent would admit to her good looks, but then she never thought she'd ever be a guy, either. Was he attracted to her? For the first time since she had met him, that thought didn't scare her. Or, rather, it didn't sicken her. A relationship with Clark Kent scared the hell out of her. He was the type of man that she could see herself falling in love with. How could so much change in just a single day? And the day wasn't even over yet.

Clark noticed her unease, and decided to change the subject. Anything to divert her attention away from his previous comment. "I've been thinking about calling Chloe and bringing her up to speed on all of this."

Lois considered this for a moment, glad that she had something to think about other than a possible Clark/Lois relationship. Then she looked around the barn. "Uh, which part?"

"What do you mean?"

"The body switching or your heritage?"

"I don't know. What do you think I should tell her?"

Was Smallville actually asking her for advice? She usually gave him her advice whether he wanted to hear it or not. But he had always not wanted to hear it before. Now she knew that something had changed between them, although she still didn't know how much things had changed. But this wasn't something she wanted to think about. On to the task at hand. Should he tell Chloe everything? She was suddenly reminded of a conversation she had had with Chloe about a month before. And it clicked. Chloe knew. Perhaps it was time for Clark to "be comfortable enough to tell her himself".

"I think you should tell her the truth, Clark. She's your best friend. And I know her. You can trust her. She tells the world that she's a reporter to the core. But that's not true. She's a loyal and caring person first and foremost. If you tell her, I know for a certainty that she will guard your secret with her life, just as I will." She had done her part. Now it was up to Clark to decide what to do next.

* * *

Chloe stopped her car. She was still a mile away from the Kent's, but she wasn't ready to face Clark and Lois yet. Her mind went over the conversation she had had on the phone with Lois several minutes before. Something had been off with her, almost as if she was afraid of what they had to tell her. Was this _the_ conversation? The one she had been dreading since last year when she first realized that the two of them had a special connection? Had they finally gotten off their denial trips and accepted the fact that they liked each other? And was she okay with that? 

She took a deep breath and searched her feelings. She still loved Clark. There was no denying that. And she wanted to be more than friends. That was a given. But he was her best friend. And she wouldn't give that up for anything, even a relationship with him. She had been so cautious all these years for that very reason. She wouldn't be able to handle losing Clark. If she started something with him, and it ended badly, it would tear her apart. She didn't think she would survive. She wasn't strong enough. But perhaps Lois was.

Could she live with her cousin and her best friend as a couple? Yes, she could. If she couldn't be with one of the greatest men on the planet, then she wanted her cousin to be able to get the chance. She loved them both dearly. But would their relationship weaken hers with them? She knew she couldn't stand to lose Clark. But to lose both Clark and Lois? They were the only family she had. Granted, she still had her father. But it wasn't the same. Clark and Lois were her friends and her confidants. They meant the world to her. They were her world. She had once told Clark that, despite what he thought, her world did not revolve around him. But that was only partially true. She had her own life and her own dreams, but the two of them were her anchors. They kept her grounded and focused. Clark inspired her to achieve greater things and become a better person, and Lois was her strength.

She made up her mind. If they were going to ask her permission to see each other, she was going to give it. But she was going to be honest with them as well. She couldn't stand to lose them, and they needed to know that.

Having prepared herself emotionally for the conversation ahead of her, Chloe dried her eyes and put her car back into gear. It was time to have that talk.

* * *

Clark continued to pace back and forth in his loft. He still hadn't decided what he was going to tell Chloe. He believed Lois, and that was the problem. The last words of her little "talk" haunted him: "I know for a certainty that she will guard your secret with her life, just as I will." Her life. That was what was at stake here. Lois could take care of herself, that was certain. She had had a few close calls, but she had also saved his life a time or two. She was a quick thinker, had a military background, and planned ahead, generally, anyway. And he really hadn't had a choice in the matter. He had to tell her. Chloe though, really didn't need to know. And she didn't have the same skills that Lois did. 

Once again, though, he wanted to tell her. She was his best friend, yet he couldn't share the biggest part of himself with her. He relied on her advice more than he did even Lois'. Lois told him what he needed to hear, even if he didn't want to hear it. But Chloe was there for him on both sides. She told him the truth, both when it was something he didn't want to hear and when it was something he did. And most importantly, she was his best friend. She deserved to know.

But how could he tell her when to do so would put her in at risk and make her a target? Most people believed that Lois didn't like him very much, and visa versa. That was another reason he wasn't quite as worried about her. But everyone knew Chloe was his best friend, just as everyone had known that Pete was. And look what had happened to him. He had had to leave town because he couldn't handle the fear of revealing his secret. No, he couldn't do that to Chloe. He would never be able to live with himself if anything happened to Chloe because of him. It would be hard enough to deal with losing her. But losing her and knowing that it was his fault? And not just because he didn't get there in time, but because he had willingly put her in danger?

"Would you STOP that! Your pacing is driving me insane. And you are going to wear out my shoes. She'll get here when she gets here."

Clark stopped pacing and smirked. "You know, I still don't think I'll ever get used to hearing you yell at me in my own voice. It's a little freaky."

"I know what you mean. It has been a very freaky Saturday. Even by Smallville's standards. We have to get this straightened out soon, or we may both end up in Belle Reve. And not just because we think we're someone else, either." She smiled that famous Kent smile for him, and then continued. "Now relax some," she said, walking up behind him and rubbing his shoulders with her hands, "She's going to take it fine."

Her expert massage of his shoulders was relaxing, if still a little weird. "I believe you. I'm just worried about her. Knowing my secret will put her in unneeded danger. I would never be able to live with myself if something happened to her."

This again? She loved that he cared so much, but he couldn't just sit by and push everyone away because of it. And Chloe already knew, so this supposed danger he was going to put her in was already present. What Chloe needed right now was trust. She needed Clark to trust her. Lois stopped massaging Clark's shoulders and turned to face him. "Clark, have you ever thought that Chloe might actually be safer if she knew the truth? If you come clean with her, she's going to know what to expect, and she can prepare for it. I really hate to say this, but if an enemy ever learns your secret, they're going to go after the people you love regardless of whether they know or not. You are invulnerable. Well, you will be once we get this straightened out. But no sane person is going to attack you head on. They are going to attack your weakness, which will always be, Kryptonite or no, your loved ones. And I know what you are thinking, but that's not the answer. Cutting yourself off from everyone is not the way. You are a strong man, and I don't mean physically. You've got such a big and selfless heart. But even you can't go through life alone.

"You are destined for great things, Clark. I believe this with all of my heart. You have the potential to touch so many lives, to save so many people. But you're not going to be able to keep at it alone. Your family made you the person you are today. And your family is going to keep you that way. There will be times in the future where you are going to want to give up and give in. I've seen the sadness in you when you have tried to save someone, but arrived to late. It tears at your heart." Lois paused, as tears began to flow from her eyes. She could see tears beginning to form in Clark's eyes as well. "I don't want to see your heart become shattered, Clark. You are going to need us to be there for you. But we won't be able to if we don't know what is going on. We won't be able to protect you and we won't be able to protect ourselves.

"More than anyone else in the world, Chloe deserves to know the truth about you. She's the most loyal person I have ever met. If you haven't figured this out already, I'm kind of a pain to be around. I can even be a real bitch sometimes. And I've had my fair share of slip-ups with Chloe. I've done some things that I'm not proud of, yet she has never stopped loving me. She's always been there for me, even after I've hurt her. She told me once that I was her strength. But the reality is this: she is my strength. And she can be your strength too, if you just let her in. A true family is one that is honest with each other and is there for each other when they need it. Chloe, you, your parents; you guys are my family. And I know without a doubt that Chloe would say the exact same thing.

"So trust her, Clark. Let her in, and then be there for her. We'll all be safer if we just stick together. I'm not saying that you need to tell the world. You shouldn't. You need to continue to guard your secret, and you need to continue to be careful. There are a lot of people out there that you cannot trust. But Chloe is not one of them. You can trust her with your life, and I already know that she trusts you with hers.

"And that's all I have to say. Think about it. You've still got a few minutes before Chloe shows up. She's about a half of a mile up the road." She paused, again, and looked him over. His cheeks were stained with tears, and his eyes were red. Her face was likely about the same. "We should probably both go inside and freshen up now. Chloe doesn't need to know that we've been crying. She might get the wrong impression."

Clark only nodded, unable to form words after her speech. The two of them went down the loft stairs, left the barn, and headed towards the house.

* * *

(**_A/N_**: _This next section is from Chloe's perspective. So when I say Clark I mean Clark's body or Lois, and when I say Lois, I mean Lois' body or Clark. I'll transition back to normal in this section, but I will make it very clear when I do so._) 

Chloe pulled into the Kent farm and got out of her car. This was it. And she was ready. She confidently strode to the house and knocked on the door. Lois answered the door and let her in. Again, she noticed that something was different about her, but she couldn't quite place it. She still seemed to be nervous, but at the same time, she seemed happy, almost as if she was excited to finally get this burden off her shoulders. Chloe couldn't really blame her. She wasn't sure what had happened between Clark and Lois, but she knew that Lois would never intentionally hurt her. If she told Lois that she wasn't okay with her seeing Clark, she would stop whatever they had going on in an instant, she knew. So the suspense must be killing her.

Lois lead her to the living room and motioned for her to sit down in a chair across from the couch. Then she sat down next to Clark on the couch. Clark had a cup of coffee in his hand, which sounded really good at the moment.

"Can I get you something? Coffee, perhaps?" Clark asked her, as if he had read her mind.

"That would be great, thanks," she said as she sat down.

Clark placed his cup on the floor, got up and filled a new cup from a fresh pot, brought it to her, sat back down, and picked up his coffee. Chloe found this to be a bit odd. Since when did Clark start drinking coffee? And when did Lois quit? She didn't have much time to consider this, however, as Clark's next action became the focus of her attention. His left hand reached over to Lois', and the two of them intertwined their fingers. While the action itself surprised her, the way it had been done surprised her even more. He had done it like it was the most natural thing in the world. She hadn't realized, until that moment, just how much the two of them cared for each other. She shouldn't have been surprised, though. Lois wouldn't have risked hurting her by starting a relationship with Clark Kent unless their feelings for each other ran very deep. She smiled. They were happy together. Now she knew she had made the right decision.

Lois started the conversation off then, almost as if Clark's mere touch had given her the strength to begin. The bond the two of them shared was amazing. "As I mentioned on the phone, we have something we need to tell you. It's about the two of us. But I need you to promise not to freak out. Okay?"

"Yes, Lois. I promise. I won't freak out."

"Okay. After we tell you this, I've got something that I need to tell you. And it may sound like I'm telling you this because I need you to have all the facts, and while that is a small part of it, it's not the main reason I'm telling you. I'm telling you because I trust you, because you're my best friend, and because I want you to know. I've wanted to tell you this for a long while now, but haven't been able to bring myself to do it before. But I realized today that you deserve to know, and keeping you in the dark about anything in my life isn't something I want anymore. Chloe, I'm-"

Clark cleared his throat loudly, interrupting Lois. Lois looked at him questioningly, then had a moment of realization.

"Oh, right. First things first," Lois said. "The thing Lois and I have to tell you." Lois and I? Huh? Had she lost it? "We, um...We sort of switched bodies this morning."

Chloe's mouth dropped as she tried to process what she had said. Or what he had said. She grabbed her head with her hands. This was so confusing, and, without a doubt, it was the last thing she expected to hear her...uh...him...say. Lois and Clark had switched bodies. Clark was in Lois' body and Lois was in Clark's. Clark and Lois had switched bodies. Wow. The only question now was...

"How?"

Clark...er...Lois, who was in Clark's body, jumped in, "We don't know. I remember watching a movie last night with Clark, which I believe I fell asleep during, and next thing I know I woke up this morning on the couch, in Clark's body. That's why we called you. We need your help to figure this out."

The two of them remained silent for a while, allowing Chloe to take it all in. And it was a lot to take in. Wait. If Lois was in Clark's body, did that mean she knew about Clark's...gifts? She supposed he had to have told her something. Still, it upset her that Clark had told Lois about himself before he had told her. Her eyes suddenly opened widely in realization. So that's what Lois...Clark had been going on about earlier. He was going to tell her.

"Lois...I mean, Clark," she said, looking into Lois' body's eyes, "you said you had something else to tell me?"

Clark's hand gripped Lois' a bit tighter, as he gathered the strength for what he was about to tell her. "Yes, I do. I really hate telling you like this, though. I don't want you to think that I'm telling you just so that you can better help us out with our little...situation. It's not like that. I've wanted to tell you this for a long time. I just haven't had the courage until now. I didn't want you to think of me...differently."

Clark never ceased to amaze Chloe. With everything that was going on, he still wanted to do this right, to reassure her that he was doing this for her, not for himself. He was the most selfless person she had ever known. Insecure at times, yes. But he was selfless, too. She understood what he was trying to say. He had wanted to tell her for a while, but it was the current situation that had given him the courage to do so. And, apparently, Lois, too.

What Clark needed right now was assurance. "Clark, there isn't anything that you could tell me that would make me view you differently."

"Even...even if I were to tell you that I'm not human?"

Is that what he thought of himself? Did he think that the meteor's had made him less than a man? "What do you mean, not human?"

"I...I wasn't born in Smallville. In fact, I wasn't born anywhere near this galaxy. My biological parents sent me to earth in a spaceship with the meteor shower as cover."

Chloe was shocked. She knew he had powers, but this? Her best friend was an alien? "But, you look so..."

"Normal? I'm anything but normal. The earth's sun gives me abilities far beyond normal people. I'm lift-a-truck-with-my-bear-hands strong, I can run faster than a bullet, bullets bounce of my skin like they're cotton balls, I can hear a pin drop a mile away, I can see through solid objects, and I can project intense heat from my eyes. I also kind of flew once, but I wasn't exactly myself then."

Wow. This was a lot to take in. She had been impressed with his strength and speed. But this? And he was an alien? Wow. Still, this didn't change anything. Well, it didn't change much. He was still her best friend, he still used his abilities to save lives, and he was still the most selfless person she had ever known. And he needed to know that. "Clark, I think you are...amazing. You save people's lives and take zero credit for it. You're the most selfless person I know. If more humans were like you, this world would be a better place." Then she smiled at him, as if to tell him that things would be okay between them. They would be better than okay. He had finally come clean with her, and now there was one less thing between them. She could finally be there for him like he had been there for her. Perhaps things were going to change a bit more than she thought.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Morning came to soon for Lois. Her dreams had been peaceful. Everything was as it should be. She was working at the Talon, Chloe and Clark had come in to say hello, and she had taken her break with them, having a good time and laughing together. When her break was over, she went back to work, and the two of them left to do whatever it was they did when she was not around. They had come by to see her. And that gave her a sense of peace. She had her friends, her family. And they cared for her, enough to want to spend time with her and talk with her. And she was at work, which always lightened her mood. It wasn't big, her job. She worked in a coffee shop, after all. But it gave her a sense of accomplishment regardless. She had made so many mistakes in her life, and seemed to screw up everything that was going well for her. Her work at the Talon wasn't much, but it was a step in the right direction. She didn't know what she was going to do with her life, but this job gave her some hope. She was finding herself here, getting a foundation firmly in place before launching herself back into the world again. And it felt good to know that everything was as it should be.

And then she had to go and open her eyes. And what she saw brought the reality of the situation rushing back to her. Her head rested on Chloe's, and her eyes were staring directly into her sleeping face. The one that currently belonged to Clark. She really hated this. She wanted her life back, to be in control again. She may not have ever had control over her circumstances, but she had always accepted them and relied on her own strength to pull her through. Even though life had been harsh, she still had to believe that she could fix it. She had doubts at times, sure, but deep down she always had to hold on to that hope. Yet it was quickly fading. Each second she spent as Clark Kent increased the deep fear within her that this would be permanent, that she would be stuck being him and he would be stuck being her, forever. It was terrifying.

Lois closed her eyes and blocked everything out. She needed to pretend that this was just a normal day for a little while longer. She was just a normal girl, after a late night study session with her friends, sleeping on the couch with them, not a girl in an alien's body, staying up late to find a way to fix it. At least Chloe was still the same. It was easier to believe her fantasy with her there, sleeping with her, in her arms like they had done as children. She pulled Chloe closer. She was glad she was there.

Clark chose this moment to shift slightly, and mumble something in his sleep. In her voice. The moment was broken again. She opened her eyes again, accepting reality. She carefully unwrapped her arms from around Chloe and got off the couch, then sat down on the table and picked up one of photographs of the cave wall. She looked at it. It was the symbol that was etched into the black stone, the one that would free her from this mess. If she could only find this stone, she could fix her problems. She could make this growing fear go away.

As much as she hated to admit it, she wasn't cut out to be Clark Kent. She wouldn't mind being with him, although she definitely wasn't admitting to that, but she couldn't handle being him. She wasn't cut out to be a hero. She knew she couldn't handle his destiny. She knew he didn't want to face it either, but it was for different reasons. He believed he would become a ruler and conqueror. But she knew he had missed something, somewhere. That wasn't his destiny. His heart was to caring and good to ever become a man capable of that. But she might be.

The General had taught her to be independent and never be helpless. And she didn't want to be helpless. And now, she wasn't. She was nearly a god, and she couldn't help but think that the power would go to her head once she figured out how to use it. She hated to be weak, but this new power had made a new weakness surface, or at least threaten to surface.

This wasn't her destiny. She might be destined to help Clark see his, and she could accept that. But she couldn't accept this. She feared the person she might become far to much. She was happy with who she was, even if there were a few things she would change if she could. But she couldn't remain in Clark's body. The sooner she got this fixed, the better.

She had to find that stone. Everything they had researched the night before pointed to the stone. It seemed to be the only solution. She had to find it, wanted to find it, needed to find it. She focused on the picture in front of her, as if just by doing so she could discover where it was. Everything else seemed to fade away, and all her focus went towards the stone. Her clothes could have caught on fire, and she wouldn't have noticed, such was her concentration on the stone. Although that wasn't saying much, as she wouldn't have felt the fire anyway.

A piercing sound broke that concentration, and she cried out, holding her ears. It was so loud and so painful, a sensation she hadn't experienced for over a day, and it was calling to her. Something was pulling her forward. She felt two hands touch her shoulder. One belonged to Chloe and one belonged to Clark, or Clark's current body. They had apparently awoken at the sound of her cry. But she barely noticed them.

"Lois, what is it?" Clark asked.

She couldn't answer. Something was calling her. She had to be somewhere, even if she was unsure where that was. And for some reason she knew, once she got there, the pain would stop. "I...have...to...go," was all she could manage, before the need to be where ever it was that she needed to be took over, and she super-sped out of the barn, leaving Chloe and Clark in her dust.

* * *

Genevieve Teague stirred slightly in her bed. She was partially awake, partially asleep, dreaming. Even her dreams reflected her obsession: the stones. She had spent her life researching the Countess because she knew that she would lead her straight to them. Sending her son to Paris and maneuvering Lana and him into meeting had been just one step along the way, though it hadn't paid off like she had expected. She hadn't ended up with the stone the witch had found, and her son had fallen in love with the girl, but her planning was going to pay off. She would soon have the second stone. Lionel Luthor owed her a favor, one she was very soon going to collect on. Lex had the stone from China, she knew, and Lionel was going to get it for her. She wasn't sure where the third stone was, but she was confident she would find out. She still had a few cards left to play. 

A crash from the living room awoke her quickly. The stone! She got out of bed as fast as she could manage, and rushed to her bedroom door. She turned the handle and pushed it open, shocked at the scene before her. The door to her mansion had been torn off its hinges, and a man stood with his back to her, with the door to her safe in his hands. He threw it from him, and the door crashed through the far wall. A light began to emerge from the safe. The stone was glowing. The inhuman stranger reached his arm into the safe, and in a blur, he was gone. The stone was gone, stolen right in front of her.

She fell to the floor in shock. This was...unexpected. But far from over. Far from over. Her quest had just got...interesting. There was another player on the board, and a powerful one at that. But he hadn't seen the last of Genevieve Teague.

* * *

"What just happened, Clark?" 

"I think it was the stones. I hear a painfully loud high pitched noise sometimes that directs me to one of the stones. That's how I found the first one and how I knew to visit Lionel in prison. But it happens at random. I don't know what triggers it."

"You're saying Lois went after one of the stones?" Chloe asked, a worried look on her face.

Her look was reflected on Clark's face as well. "Yes, I think so." He paused, then looked Chloe in the eye. She could see the beginnings of tears in his eyes. "I'm worried about her, Chlo'. If something happens to her, I don't think I could..." He couldn't go on.

"Clark, she's in your body. She'll be fine, trust me."

"Yes, I will be," Lois said, just returning. "It's nice to know that you care so much, though, Smallville," she continued, a smirk playing across her lips. "And I've got the answer to our problems right here." She held up the stone, smiling happily.

Clark looked at her hand in surprise. She actually had the water stone, the stone of transference. "You have the stone!"

Lois laughed. "Yes, I do. Now let's get this over with. I'm in the mood for a hot shower, and I'd like to take it in my own body." She winked at Clark.

"Hey! You made me. I...wouldn't of...if you didn't say...I thought..."

Chloe's mouth dropped in realization, and Lois smiled widely at both of them. "Relax, Smallville. I'm just messing with you. It's fine. It just means we're even, now," she said, knowing full well that they were not, in fact, even. She smiled wistfully. "You did enjoy the view though, right?"

Clark squirmed nervously, not knowing how to respond to that. "I, uh..." His face paled. There was no correct answer to that question, and Lois knew it. And she was loving every minute of it.

Chloe noticed. "Well, it looks like someone's in a good mood."

"And why shouldn't I be? Things are going to be as they should again. And not a moment to soon. Any more exposure to my body, and I don't think Smallville here would want to leave."

Clark's face got even paler. "Can we just get this over with?"

"I thought you'd never ask. So, how does this work?" she said, lifting the stone up when she said 'this'.

"The two of us just need to touch it at the same time. That is how it worked the last two times."

"Alright," she said, as she walked over to him and extended her hand. "Here goes nothing."

Clark reached out his hand and placed it on top of hers, with the stone in between. The stone shone brightly at his touch. Something was happening. The light continued to brighten as energy started to run through them, stopping at their hearts. Both of their hearts began to glow from within side of them, and a beam of light shot from both Lois' and Clark's heart, the beams joining together into a single stream. They screamed out in pain as something began to change inside of them. The beating of their hearts became sporadic, slowing down, then speeding up, then slowing once again. At last, a balance was found, and the two hearts beat as one, before stopping completely. The beam vanished, the light diminished and then disappeared, and Lois and Clark collapsed to the ground.

* * *

Jonathan Kent awoke to the sound of pounding. 

"Mr. Kent! Mrs. Kent! Wake up! Please. It's...it's Clark and Lois. I...I don't know what to do. Help me, please." The voice was full of emotion, and appeared to be near tears. Jonathan quickly got out of bed and rushed to the door, with Martha right behind him. He opened it, and saw Chloe collapsed to her knees, her eyes full of tears. "I tried to...I didn't know what to do. They're...they're not breathing." She was sobbing now, and the tears were flooding down her face. "I...I..." She couldn't go on. Her cousin and best friend were...gone.

Fear gripped him. His son was dead? How? He bent down and took Chloe by the arms. "Where are they?"

"The...the barn," she managed to say through her tears. Martha bent down to hold her, as he got up and rushed out to the barn.

A million thoughts ran through Jonathan's head as he ran to the barn. The seconds past like lifetimes, and his feet couldn't move fast enough. His son. It couldn't be. He couldn't be dead. This had happened before. It was going to be alright. It had to. He could not lose Clark. Martha could not lose Clark. No! He wasn't going to let his family fall apart. He had to move faster. He had to get to him faster. Just a little bit further.

He arrived at Clark's side at the verge of tears. "Clark! Clark! Come on son, wake up!" He quickly scanned the loft for any sign of kryptonite. There was none in sight, but he did see the stone. He picked it up and threw it as far as he could out the loft window, then returned to his son's side. He put his hand up to Clark's mouth, and panic set in as he felt no breath. Then he checked his pulse. Once. Twice. Three times. "No, Clark. No. This can't be happening." He held his son in his hands, one arm around his back and one clutching his head. "Clark, don't die on me. Son! Come on. You can pull through this. I love you, son. I love you. Come back to me." He was openly crying now, griping his son as if his life depended on it, embracing him.

He heard someone scaling the loft stairs. He looked up at Martha and Chloe, just coming from the house. Martha looked him in the eye, and knew.

"No! No, no, no. My baby!" She collapsed to the floor, burying her face in her hands. Chloe just stood beside her, eyes wide in shock, tears still running down her face.

He got up to hold his wife, but suddenly stopped. Lois. He quickly rushed to her. He may not be able to save his son, but he couldn't lose them both. He quickly checked her pulse and breath, and then began CPR. Two breaths. Twelve pumps. Two breaths. Twelve pumps. "Come on, Lois. We can't lose you too." Two breaths. Six pumps. A cough. Two? He turned around. Clark was breathing, and the color was slowly returning to his face. They were alright. They were alright!

Jonathan held Lois tightly, and Martha got up and ran to her son. "Clark! You're okay!"

Clark hesitated before embracing her. He let her hold him for a moment before breaking the silence. "Uh, Mrs. Kent?" Clark said hesitantly, "I'm not Clark."


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

Lois, still in Clark's body, thought the Kent's had taken the news remarkably well, considering. At least Martha hadn't fainted, as she had, when she heard the news. She wasn't even sure how that was possible. Could Clark even get light headed? Apparently so.

"Why didn't you call us?" Jonathan said, anger at the edge of his voice.

It looked like they weren't taking it as well as she had thought. She couldn't blame them, though. They had, after all, almost lost their son. And all due to some mythical body switch, and the stone's reaction to it. What had happened to them? It still didn't make any sense. The stone had worked before. What was different now? Well, besides the fact that something else had caused the body switch to begin with or the fact that her and Clark were of the opposite sex. That still didn't explain the pain the two of them had felt, or the fact that after all the fireworks had cleared, the two of them were dead. No, that didn't make any sense at all.

"This isn't exactly something I'm excited about, dad. We probably should have called, but I didn't want to interrupt your date, and telling more people about our situation wasn't exactly at the front of my mind. Fixing it was." Clark's response was cool and collected.

Smart. Very smart. For once, Lois was thankful for Clark's cool headed nature. It just might be the only thing standing between them and the Kent's anger.

Jonathan nodded, partially satisfied with the response. His anger was more due to the fact that his son had been dead several minutes ago, than in it had to do with anything Clark or Lois had or had not done.

"You mentioned that you did some research last night," Martha said, changing the subject. "Did you talk to Jor-El?"

Jor-El? Oh, right. Clark's biological father. Lois was still having a hard time processing everything she had learned in the last twenty-four hours. She suddenly felt anger well up inside of her, before it quickly subsided. _What was that?_ It had come out of nowhere, with no apparent cause. But it had felt...different, almost as if it had come from outside herself.

"No. Why would I go talk to him?"

"You said you had looked into everything you could think of. I was just wondering if that was one of those things."

"No, it wasn't. I don't want to go to him for help. He hasn't exactly been helpful in the past. Every time he has ever gotten involved in my life, it has turned out badly."

"I understand that as well as you do, Clark," Martha answered. "But you might have to talk to Jor-El now. What the stone did to the two of you..."

There it was again! A quick flash of anger, although this time there was another, although weaker, emotion in the background: fear. What was going on? It had happened just as Mrs. Kent had said Jor-El. It didn't make any sense. What did she have against Jor-El? And what reason did she have to fear him?

"The stone! Where is it?" Clark asked suddenly, looking around the loft.

Jonathan spoke up. "I threw it out the loft window. It was the only thing I could think to do when I found you lying there..."

Clark got up to retrieve it, but Lois stopped him. "It's okay, Smallville. I'll get it." She focused for a moment, listening for any signs of life outside of the immediate company, and then sped down the stairs and out of the barn. She stopped at the door, and quickly scanned the area, noticing the stone behind the right rear tire of a tractor. She was back to the loft with the stone just moments later. When she returned, she felt another emotion: attraction, with a mix of admiration. But the feeling wasn't directed towards anyone, and, once again, it felt like it came from outside of herself.

"You're really getting the hang of my abilities, Lois. A far cry from your performance earlier," Clark said with a smirk, glancing around the barn, looking at the damage she had caused the day before.

Lois smiled, forgetting for the moment her confusion about her feelings. He had so set himself up. This was going to be fun. "Smallville, I thought we established yesterday that my 'performance' was up to standards."

Chloe's and Clark's eyes both went wide at this. Chloe's, because she realized the implications of the statement, and Clark's, because he couldn't believe she had said what she had in front of everyone, his parents especially. Thankfully, they only had confused looks on their faces, showing that neither had understood what she had meant.

Lois looked at the Kent's, disappointed. They hadn't read into it. Clark was saved from having to try and explain himself to them. She would have enjoyed that tremendously. She sighed. There was no use trying to continue with that line of conversation. The moment was lost. "So, what do you think we should do with this stone?"

"It needs to go in the cave with the other one," Clark said. "We can't keep it here." As much as he didn't want to pursue the stones, he couldn't allow them to fall into the wrong hands either. The cave was the safest place for them, at the moment.

"Sounds like a plan. I could take it there now, but I've only been there once, and I was kind of disoriented at the time." Lois shuddered. She really didn't want to think about that day again, but reminders seemed to be everywhere. Possession seemed to be a common occurrence in her life, at least since she had been in Smallville. First possessed by a witch last November, and then a psycho prom queen want-to-be just last week. And now this, although it really wasn't possession, unless they were both possessing each other at the same time. Hmm...maybe that wasn't so far fetched after all. She would have to look into that later.

"I'm the only one that knows how to open the cave wall, anyway, so I'm going to have to go with you."

Jonathan nodded. "You two should take care of this right away. Although perhaps you should wrap that stone in something. I don't want the two of you to touch it again. And I agree with Martha. You need to talk to Jor-El about this."

There it was again! What was wrong with her? Well, besides currently being a him. A thought hit her. No, it couldn't be. She looked at Clark. He looked like he was angry, fearful, and surprised. Exactly how she felt at the moment. _Oh dear. This is so not happening. _It was bad enough that she had to be in his body. Now she had to feel his emotions, too? The stone must have done something to them. Or to her. She wasn't sure if he had been affected the same way. There was no way she was going to talk to him about it until she knew that for sure. There was no reason for him to know this if she was the only one affected.

"I am not going to talk to Jor-El!" Clark was clearly angry. But Lois knew that he was also afraid. "Even if he does know something, he's not going to help. He never does."

What was Clark afraid of? The anger she understood, but the fear? Then it hit her. His destiny. He was afraid of his destiny. It seemed that he was afraid of the same thing that she was. That she would lose control, and one day rule the world. No wonder he was so secretive and guarded. He didn't accept himself for who he was. His gifts were a huge responsibility, yes, but they were apart of him. She knew him. He wasn't capable of ruling the world. But Kal-El was. And Jor-El had brought that side out of him. It suddenly all made sense. And this bothered her, as it wouldn't have made sense if she hadn't been able to read his emotions. But that wasn't important right now. This was about Clark.

"Can I talk to Clark alone for a minute?" Lois asked everyone.

"Sure, Lois," Mrs. Kent replied. "We'll be in the house." She motioned to Chloe for her to follow, took her husband's hand, and headed down the stairs. Both Chloe and Jonathan followed quietly. Neither was willing to question Mrs. Kent's declaration.

* * *

Clark watched as Lois paced back and forth. It seemed as though she was trying to figure out where to start, although he wasn't quite sure what she wanted to talk to him about. Whatever it was, it must have been important. She wouldn't have asked the others to leave if it wasn't. He wondered if this was about what had happened after they had touched the stone. He had been feeling emotions that were not his own since they had awoken, and he believed those emotions were Lois'. And right now she felt very nervous. 

"Lois, just tell me. As you put it, pacing is just going to wear out my shoes faster. I know you are nervous, but you don't have anything to worry about. Whatever it is, I can take it." He walked over to her and took her hand, then pulled her over to the couch to sit down. It was usually easier to talk while sitting down.

Lois sighed, then attempted to collect her thoughts. She smiled at his hand, which was still in hers. She squeezed it slightly, concentrating so that she didn't hurt him. She really was getting better at controlling his abilities, although it required constant concentration. She looked up at him, and then began.

"I really don't know where to start, or how to even explain this." She paused for a moment, considering her options. "I guess I'll just get right to the point. You can't continue to be afraid of your destiny, Smallville. I don't care what you read on your ship. You are not destined to rule, and neither is Kal-El. I don't know how I know this, but I do. Positively. Your are destined for far greater things than you can imagine. You are going to save so many people and change so many lives for the better. You are going to give the world hope. But this isn't going to happen if you don't accept yourself for who you are.

"Your abilities are a gift, Clark. A gift. You can use them wisely. I know you can. I've seen you do it. You have to accept yourself for who you are, and I mean who you will be after we get this," she motioned with her free hand to her body, and then to his, "straightened out. You can't continue to live your life in fear."

It wasn't that easy. He couldn't just accept himself and wish the fear away. Why couldn't she understand that? She was right about everything else, but that didn't surprise him. She seemed to be able to read him better than anyone else he knew. But it still wasn't that simple. Jor-El had a mission for him to accomplish. He knew it. And the stones played a major role in that mission, that destiny. Jor-El always got what he wanted, or major consequences resulted. But Clark feared that the consequences would be far better than the alternative. She could be right. But what if she wasn't?

"If it helps, I'll talk to Jor-El. This time. I know it is going to take you some time to accept this. But you do need to accept it. And know that I'll be right here," Lois said, again squeezing his hand, "by your side when you are ready to talk to him. If you want me to be."

He smiled at her. She never ceased to amaze him. How had they ever become such good friends? It had only been about a month ago that they had first admitted to being friends. And now they were closer than ever. He was almost as close to her as he was to Chloe. He certainly gained more strength around her than Chloe, and he didn't even know why.

"Thank you, Lois. That means a lot. It really does. I'm just not quite ready to face this yet."

"I know. This is just really important. So don't expect me to give up on you anytime soon."

He knew she meant it. All of it. Her current feelings were too genuine for any of it not to be. Her concern, love, faith, and admiration for him was just amazing. And her honesty couldn't be faulted. He could easily see them become great friends.

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

There was a momentary pause in the conversation here, and, as usual, Lois broke the silence. She really wasn't one for uncomfortable silences, was she? "So what do you say you drive me to those caves, Smallville. You up for it?" She asked, standing up and pulling him up with her, giving him a large smile.

He smiled in return. "I'm game if you are."

With that, the two of them headed down the loft stairs and out of the barn, neither of them realizing that their hands were still enclosed.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

The cave was different than she had remembered. Granted, she had been a little disoriented the last time she was here, and the last thing she had wanted to do was stick around to take in the view, but she still didn't understand how she had missed how nice it was. No wonder Clark spent so much time in the caves. It wasn't just the fact that he was connected to the caves, that they held some meaning for him, that he went there. She believed it was an escape for him, much like his "fortress of solitude": the loft. She could see herself retreating here when she needed to be alone and think. It was peaceful, quiet, cool, and the paintings lent a certain air to the place that had a calming effect on her. If these paintings were truly about Clark, and from what she had seen so far, they likely were, then he must have misinterpreted some of it. Something so wonderful simply couldn't be describing something so terrible.

They took their time in the cave. Lois would look around at each painting, and would ask about the ones that caught her interest, and Clark would tell her everything that he knew about each one. It was all so fascinating. She would never have guessed that anything like this would catch her attention, but then, lately, everything about Clark Kent had caught her attention. Not that she would ever admit that to herself, much less him.

"And this one?" she asked, pointing to a painting of a two headed monster.

"That's Naman and Segeeth. Segeeth is supposed to be Naman's enemy. As I mentioned earlier, Naman has the strength of ten men and can shoot fire out of his eyes. Me. And I believe that Segeeth is one of the Luthor's, probably Lex. Lex even threw his own interpretation of the prophecy out there, and from what he said, I know it could be him."

"What did he say?"

"He said that perhaps the prophecy had been misinterpreted, and that maybe Segeeth is the hero of the story, and not Naman. He said that anyone like Naman would be like a god among men, and that anyone that was brave enough to stand up against such a man would have to be pretty brave and heroic."

Lois thought about that for a while. It did make sense, if Naman was going to be a conquerer. But if he was a conquerer, then she was convinced that Clark wasn't him. She didn't know how or why she knew, but she knew for a fact that Clark's destiny did not include ruling the world. If Naman was a conquerer, then perhaps Clark had misread the prophecy. A thought occurred to her, but she needed some more information before she could share it.

"Why do you think that Segeeth is one of the Luthor's?"

"A few years ago, a knife was found in this cave, and according to the Kawachi it was meant for Naman, to help him identify Segeeth. When Jeremiah, one of the Kawachi, got his hands on it, he was gifted with all of my powers and none of my weaknesses. I tried to stop him, but he was as strong as I was and had the knife. I got stabbed by it, and nearly died. I would have if Jor-El hadn't channeled some kind of healing power through my dad and healed the wound.

"Jeremiah went after Lionel Luthor, intent on killing him, thinking he was Segeeth. I got there before he did and managed to get the knife away from him, but Lionel and Lex got to the knife before I did. They both touched it at the same time, and it disintegrated in their hands. The Kawachi said that the knife would protect itself, and that Segeeth would not be able to touch it. So that is why I think it is on of the Luthor's."

The new information had only made her theory more plausible, but she still needed one more piece of information to be sure. "Did anyone other than Jeremiah and the Luthor's touch the knife?"

"I don't think so. I didn't even touch it, other than when it made contact with my belly."

She filed this information away for future reference, and decided she still needed to do some more digging before sharing this realization with Clark. She was almost certain she was right, but there still was a small chance that she was wrong.

"And this woman? Who is she?" she asked Clark, changing the subject. When he didn't answer right away, she turned around and looked at him. He was hesitating, but she didn't understand why. She concentrated on him, trying to discern what he was feeling. On the car ride over to the cave, she had found out that although strong emotions from him came through to her on their own, she needed to focus on him in order to receive the weaker ones. And distance apparently mattered as well. She hadn't been able to read him at all when she had left him at the car to inform the Kent's where they were going. The further he was away from her, the harder it was for her to read him. The stronger the emotion and the closer she was to him, the easier it came to her.

Bitterness. He was feeling bitterness. But why? Why would a painting make him bitter? "Smallville?"

"It's, uh, my supposed soulmate."

Supposed soulmate? Did he really think that there was no one out there for him? That would explain the bitterness, as well as several of his insecurities. It would also explain why Lana had affected him so much. She didn't know his secret, and evidently that is what had pulled them apart. Secrets. Now his nonacceptance of himself made a lot more sense. Did he truly think that no one was capable of loving him? Or was it the other thing: his heritage. Did he think that no one would be able to accept and love him, since he was an alien? It seemed she needed to have yet another talk with him. But she really didn't mind. She cared about him far to much to let him suffer needlessly. And what he was going through right now was definitely needless pain.

"Your supposed soulmate, you say? Are you implying that you don't believe there is anyone out there for you?"

"No, that's not it. It's just that...well, yes, it is that. What do I have to offer anyone of worth? Pain, trouble, and suffering? Heartbreak? I can't give them a happy, carefree life. I'm not going to be able to settle down somewhere quiet and enjoy my life with them. I don't even know if I can have children. And I'm the last Kryptonian. There isn't anyone else out there like me. I have a destiny that won't let me go, and even if it is as you say it is, which I'm still not convinced of, the hero life doesn't exactly scream security."

Lois sighed. Her heart hurt for him. She felt the pain that was obvious in his voice, and knowing that he was feeling it made it hurt even worse. He was so lost. How could someone with such a great heart have so many insecurities? How could he possibly think that no one could love him and accept him for who he was? He had two amazing parents that loved him unconditionally, a best friend that loved him despite of his heritage, and she was pretty sure that she was falling in love with him, too. She, at the very least, cared for him deeply. So how could he think that no one could ever love him for who he was?

"Clark, listen to me," she said in a demanding, yet caring voice. She waited for him to look her in the eye before she continued. "Are you listening to me? Do NOT, EVER, think that you have nothing to offer a woman. Period. You can not think that way. It's the biggest lie I have ever heard. Humility is a virtue, but you're making it into a fault. Smallville, you've got so much to offer. I can't believe that you think you don't. I would consider myself very lucky if I end up with a man even half as honorable as you. You care so much about everyone, even complete strangers. You're willing to risk your life, and your secret, to save people you don't even know. You believe in people, even when they've given you no reason to, or even every reason not to. You are kind, considerate, a gentleman, and have the most wonderful outlook of the world I have ever seen. Your outlook can be a bit naive at times, but this world needs some naive people in it if it is ever going to change for the better.

"Smallville, I need you to promise me something. I need you to promise me that you will try and stop thinking that you have nothing to offer. When thoughts of that kind start to enter your head, I want you to tell yourself just the opposite. Do you understand me?" She waited for him to respond, and when he didn't, she continued. "Clark! Promise me!"

"Fine! I promise."

"Say it. 'I have everything to offer a woman.'"

"I'm not going to say that."

She made a quick check of his feelings. He was embarrassed. Duh! She knew that without her new "ability". She had just thought it might be more than that. She wasn't going to let embarrassment stop him from doing this.

"Say it!"

"Fine! I...uh...I have everything...to offer...everything to offer a...uh...a woman."

"Good. Now say it again."

"I...I have...everything...to...offer...a woman."

"Again!"

"How many times do I have to say it!"

"Until I'm convinced that you mean it. And you haven't convinced me yet."

"I have everything to offer a woman! There! You satisfied?" he yelled angrily.

Lois smiled in victory. "Yes. Good." Then she surveyed the damage. He was angry. Really angry. And then...what?

Clark giggled. Then he laughed out loud. Soon he was laughing so hard that he could barely stand up. Lois started to laugh as well. She didn't know why. She just couldn't help herself. It is hard enough not to laugh when someone was laughing right in front of you, but when you could feel their laughter, too?

They continued to laugh together for several minutes. Both of them fell to their knees, and then to the ground, clutching their stomachs. Every time one of them got close to stopping, the other was on a roll. It probably wasn't a good idea to get two people who were empathicly linked together for a laugh. It would have continued longer had something not happened to stop them. As they giggled and rolled along on the ground, the distance between them closed. Somehow, Clark ended up on top of Lois. Both of them quickly stopped laughing, as each realized the sudden seriousness of the situation. They both felt the urge to kiss the other, although neither knew whether their feelings were their own or from the other, and they weren't in a state of mind capable of discerning the difference. Clark leaned down, and Lois leaned up. Moments before their lips met, the realization of what they were about to do hit them, both at the same time. Lois allowed her head to fall back to the ground, but Clark simply stayed put. The seriousness of his look changed to a more friendly one, and he leaned down and kissed her on the lips in the same manor, before rolling off of her and on to his side, still facing her. He was propped up on his right elbow, his head supported by his hand.

"Thank you," he said genuinely.

Lois looked at him with a confused look. "For what?"

"For what you did for me. For believing in me. You have no idea how much I needed that conversation."

Lois smiled at him. "Anytime, Smallville. Anytime." He grinned at her in return. "Just don't forget your promise."

"Don't worry, I won't."

She believed him. Finally, she had made some headway. She was getting through to him. And it thrilled her to the core. Making him happy made her happy, and it would have done so even if she hadn't been able to feel his emotions. And the only way to make him truly happy was to break down each and every one of his insecurities, one at a time, and replace them all with strength and confidence. It was going to be a long road getting there. But it was a road she was willing to take. He was worth it.

* * *

How had she done it? Clark still didn't quite understand it. How had she, in five minutes, solved a problem that he had been struggling with his entire life? How was she so easily able to tear down the walls he held around himself? She could get him to do things that no one else could, yet she used that power to _help_ him. How had he ever earned a friend as great as she was? Oh, that's right. Because he had something to offer. He only hoped that when she needed him, he would be there for her. 

He still couldn't believe the dramatic change that her conversation had made in him. He truly believed that he would one day find a woman to spend the rest of his life with. He wasn't going to spend his life alone. He didn't know who she was, but she was out there, somewhere. He knew it. And that thought gave him a great sense of security. His greatest fear was that he would end up alone. Or, at least, it used to be. But now he knew for certain that that wasn't going to happen. The when, where, and who really didn't matter. That really wasn't ever his concern. The only reason he had concerned himself with those questions before was because if he knew those answers, then he could answer his real question: if. But now that that question had been answered, and all those other questions didn't seem as important anymore. Now the only question left to answer was "what next?"

What next? Next was to learn how to offer more. He may be able to offer "everything" to a woman, but that didn't mean he was going to be satisfied with that everything. There had to be a better everything out there somewhere. He needed to become a better man. The better a man he was, the better of a woman he would be able to attract. Perhaps someday he could even attract a woman as great as Lois.

Lois. He still couldn't believe she had volunteered to talk to Jor-El for him. She was in the inner cave, currently dealing with his demons. He had let her in and explained how everything should work. He had offered to go with her, but she had insisted in doing this for him this time. And she was sure to emphasize on the 'this time'. He was going to have to face Jor-El at some point. But not today, thanks to Lois.

As he waited for her to return, he continued to think about what had just happened to him. For the first time in his life, he could see himself clearly. He had a lot to work on. A lot. He was insecure in a lot of other areas, and as much as he would have liked to fix each of them instantly, he was pretty sure it wasn't going to work that way. He was in for a long road ahead. Especially when it came to his abilities. He had no balance in his life there. All his life, all he had ever wanted was to be normal. If he was normal, then he could be happy, then he could find the girl of his dreams. It had never occurred to him that he could have all those things and still be who he was. How had he missed that before?

His abilities were a part of him now. Or, at least, they would be, once they got this whole body switching thing straightened out. But how do you discover who you are when you've always thought you should be someone else? It was going to be a long road. But it was a road he was willing to take. She was worth it.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Lois unwrapped the stone from the black cloth Mrs. Kent had given her and held it up to her face, studying it. It truly was of alien origins. There could be no other explanation for the smoothness of the surface, the seemingly impossible etching of the Kryptonian symbol for water (or so Clark had told her) into it, and the fact that the other stones that it had broken off from looked to be made of a completely different material.

She once again thought of Clark. He was an alien. From a planet in a distant galaxy. With supernatural powers. And she was currently in his body. That meant she was, at least for now, half alien.

"Half alien." Yes, that was way to weird. No wonder it was so hard for Clark to accept himself. She was glad she had made some progress with him, but he was an alien, for crying out loud! That's not exactly something you come to terms with overnight, although he had had four years to come to terms with it. But he hadn't had her those four years. She was confident she could get through to him...eventually. She had to get another problem out of the way first. It would be a lot easier to help him accept who he was if he was himself.

It was time to get down to business. She placed the stone in its place on the table. Once it was in place, the symbol gleamed a bright blue color, before returning to normal. _That's it? That's all the show I get after all this work? Our little show in the barn was better than this._ She shrugged. _That's that, I guess. Now on to the next order of business. Jor-El._

She took the octagonal key out of her jacket pocket, and placed it in the hole in the table meant for it. The 'show' was about to get a bit more impressive.

The instant the key entered its slot, the world seemed to fade away, and she found herself in an endless darkness, interrupted only by a bright beam of light shining down on her from the sky.

A deep, echoing voice spoke, seeming to come from everywhere. "_Why have you come_?"

"I need to know what has happened to us. I am not Clark, I'm-"

"_Lois Lane._"

"You know? How? What did this to us?"

"_The hand of fate intervened to achieve that which would not come to pass_."

Huh? What was this guy on? "What are you talking about? What fate?"

"_Fate takes care of its own. Destiny was in danger of being prevented. Fate intervened._"

"Are you talking about Clark's destiny? Did you do this to us?"

"_The scales of fate must once again be placed in balance._"

"I know that! But I don't know how to switch us back."

"_The scales of fate were out of balance before the transfer took place. Only by restoring the scales will the transfer be reversed._"

"I don't understand! What is out of balance?"

"_Preparation must come before battle. Strength must come from connection. Fate will restore that which it has altered._"

"What are you talking about? That doesn't make any sense! How do I fix this?"

"_Fate will restore that which it has altered. Fate will achieve that which is destined._"

"Are you saying this will fix itself?"

"_Fate will reverse the transfer._"

Finally! A straight answer. "What about what the stone did to me? I can read Clark's emotions, and I believe he can read mine. Will this fix itself too?"

"_Fate does not alter that which it has designed._"

"So its permanent?"

"_All will be answered in time. Not all things can be known in a moment._"

The guy didn't know. Typical. But there was one thing that he should know, and she wasn't about to leave without making him tell her.

"What is Clark's destiny?"

"_Strength and preparation must come before Kal-El's destiny can be realized. The scales of balance are easily tipped, the outcome uncertain. The future is certain if fate is not restored to balance. Hope must endure. That is all I may tell you. Be well, Lois Lane._"

The light faded, and darkness engulfed her. A blinding light shone and a loud crack sounded, and she closed her eyes and covered her ears with her hands. When she opened her eyes, she was back in the cave. She pulled the key from its slot and returned it to her jacket. That had not gone very well.

* * *

The car ride back to the farm was a quiet one. Clark was in the driver's seat, and Lois had taken up shotgun. Clark tried to start up a conversation several times earlier, but Lois just mumbled a short response and returned to her silence. She wasn't going to talk to him before she was ready to. So he would wait. She would have to get sick of the uncomfortable silence at some point. He just hoped it would be sooner, rather than later. 

"No wonder you don't like your father. The guy couldn't give you a straight answer even if he tried."

He knew she would come around. "What did he say?"

"Not a lot. He kept speaking in riddles. Riddle me this, riddle me that. I should call him the Riddler."

The Riddler? Where had she pulled that one from? But then, she did have a gift when it came to nicknames. She still hadn't answered his question. "Did he tell you how to reverse this? or what caused it?"

"Fate."

Fate? What was she talking about? What did fate have to do with any of this? "Huh?"

"Fate. That is the answer to both questions. Fate did this to us, and fate will reverse it, eventually. It didn't make much sense to me, either. He said something about the balance being out of whack, and that fate stepped in to fix it."

This was insane! "So we have to just wait around for this balance to be restored? Did he say how long it would be?"

"No, just that it would happen. He mentioned something that would have to take place before the transfer, as he called it, was reversed, but it was completely cryptic."

"Can you remember his exact words?"

"Yes. It was 'Preparation must come before battle. Strength must come through connection.' Whatever that means. I think we're supposed to just let this thing be. He said that we switched bodies to fix something that without the switch, wouldn't happen. So I'm guessing that things should take care of themselves."

"Things should take care of themselves? So what are we supposed to do until then?"

"Live each other's lives, I guess. Go to school. Go to work. Live as if everything is normal."

"Yeah, because we've had so much success with that so far," Clark said sarcastically.

"Well, we're just going to have to work together. I'm kind of getting the handle on your abilities, but I still need a lot of practice. And you are having trouble running the Talon. So why don't you work with me this afternoon, and I'll go with you to the Talon at five and work with you?"

They had arrived back at the farm, and Clark slowed the truck and put it into gear before answering. "This afternoon? It's only eight in the morning."

"I've got a few errands I need to run today." She paused for a moment, apparently thinking. "Actually, I might need your abilities to run a few of those errands. Perhaps we should start right after we fill in your parents and Chloe."

She might need his abilities to run a few errands? "What exactly are these errands you need to run?"

"Just some personal stuff. Don't worry, I'm not going to expose you or anything. Now come on," she said as she got out of the truck. "Let's go talk to the family."

Clark smiled has he got out of the truck himself. Lois had once again referred to his parents as family. He knew that they considered her part of their family, and he was getting closer to agreeing with them. Lois was definitely growing on him.

* * *

Chloe sat on Clark's bed, thinking. It had been under an hour since Clark and Lois had left. She didn't know why she was so worried about them. But she was. She wondered if anything would happen in the cave. Specifically, if they would have sex again. She screamed into Clark's pillow. How wrong was that? Clark and Lois having sex while in each others' bodies? She shivered. It was too gross to think about. Then a thought occurred to her. Maybe they hadn't had sex while in each others' bodies. What if doing the deed was what made all this happen to begin with. It could be some sort of alien bonding ritual. First you had sex normally, and then switched, only to have sex again only in...it was far too gross to think about. She had to think about something else. 

Why hadn't they told her? Sure, she would have been hurt, but she could have dealt with it. She loved them both. If they made each other happy, then she wanted them together. She did think they were taking things a little to fast, though. They had barely been friends the week before. Sure, he had taken her to prom, but she was possessed by an evil prom queen. And later, after all that craziness had been straightened out, Clark had danced with Lana, not Lois.

Then again, the two of them had been in denial about their feelings all year. The sexual tension had been building the whole time, and their flirting hadn't helped matters much. Perhaps everything had reached a critical point, and they just couldn't stop.

She was still going to need to have a discussion with her cousin. No matter how it had happened, it was happening too fast. She didn't want to see either of them get hurt, and having a physical relationship without really connecting first would nearly always end with someone getting hurt. Jimmy Olson had been devastated when she had left the Planet a few years ago, and either Clark or Lois, likely Clark, would be devastated if their relationship didn't work out. They needed to give each other the best possible chance for success first by having a strong, intimate relationship and getting to know each other well before getting physical.

Chloe heard the truck pulling up the gravel driveway. They were home. It looked like they were going to have that talk sooner than she had thought.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"So...how did it go?"

Lois contemplated Mrs. Kent's question, as her eyes wondered around the room. Chloe, Mrs. Kent, and Mr. Kent were seated on the couch, and Clark and her were seated across from them on chairs they had pulled from the dining table. It was a good, solid question. How had it gone? Not well. She didn't like the "wait and see" idea anymore than Clark did. Her planned shopping adventure with Chloe later that day would help a little bit, but she still didn't enjoy being in Clark's body anymore than he enjoyed being in hers. And it really didn't help her plan to get Clark to accept himself, either.

"Not well," Clark put in. The frustration he felt wasn't apparent in his voice. But he felt it. There was no doubt about that. It was so strong that it was getting hard for her to keep his frustration separate from her own emotions. She reached over and took his hand, squeezing it lightly. There, that was better.

"I would have to agree with Smallville, for once. It really didn't go very well. Jor-El said we would just have to wait it out."

Silence. Lois looked at their faces. Surprise, worry, concern. Perhaps a little anger. She wished someone would just say something. She hated uncomfortable silences.

Mr. Kent came to her rescue. "Wait it out. Did he say how long?"

"No," Lois answered. "he didn't. I suppose it could be anywhere between a few more hours and a couple of months, or more." At the mention of "months", Clark's anxiety began to rise. Lois forced herself to feel a sense of peace, and his anxiety lessoned. _It's looking like Smallville can feel what I feel too._

Another silence. Great. This time, Mrs. Kent rescued her. "Did he tell you what caused the switch, at least?"

"Well, sort of. He said it was fate."

Chloe snickered. Lois looked at her oddly. What was funny about that?

"Fate?" Mrs. Kent looked at her, confused. "What do you mean, fate?"

"He mentioned something about things being out of balance and destiny being in jeopardy, and fate intervening to fix it. Then he mumbled some mumbo jumbo about preparation and strength, and said that fate would take care of things on its own, and reverse the transfer once it had correct what it needed to."

Chloe looked at her with a confused look. What was her deal? "Wait," Chloe said. "I thought you two having sex was what switched you." Lois looked at her in a surprised look, and the Kent's looked at Clark with the same look.

"You slept with Lois?" Mr. Kent asked in a stern and angry voice.

Lois had to contain a laugh. Clark was extremely embarrassed. The look on his face alone was priceless, but feeling his anguish made it even more fun.

"I...uh...no...We would never...uh...what I mean is..." He paused, then looked at Chloe. "Why do you think we had sex?"

"Well Lois said that her performance had been established as being up to standards. That is what you meant, wasn't it?"

"Of course it wasn't," Clark answered. "Right Lois?"

Lois looked at Mrs. Kent with a serious look and went with it. "Don't worry, I wasn't the only one who was great. Your son's performance was great, too." The sudden panic she felt from Clark was so worth any slack she might have to take for the comment later. But then she felt his hurt, and she realized she might have gone to far. He released her hand quickly, almost as if he despised it, and she suddenly felt empty, like his hand had been filling a void in her she hadn't known was there. His hurt and anger was becoming to much for her to handle. She was going to cry if he kept this up. She didn't mind him being angry with her when it was all fun and games. That was the way there relationship worked. But this? It was too much. It felt like she would have felt if a close friend had broken her trust. And perhaps that is what she had done. She had to fix this, and quickly. The thought of losing him scared her to death.

She looked at him pleadingly, asking his forgiveness with her eyes and her emotions. His anger was still present, but the hurt was slowly fading away. The sorrow, concern, and fear she was directing Clark's way wasn't faked. No one could fake emotions that sincere and heartfelt. Finally, he looked up at her. "I'm sorry," she mouthed to him. He whispered, "Just fix it," softly enough so that only her ears could pick it up, and she nodded to him, then mouthed "Thank you."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kent, Mr. Kent. I didn't mean that. Clark and I didn't sleep together. We haven't ever had sex. I swear on my mother's grave, and she meant a lot to me." Clark slipped his hand back into Lois', and relief filled her. _Thank you, God._ "I was just trying to get Smallville here to squirm a little, but this wasn't the right situation to do it in. Poor judgment on my part. I'm sorry."

Again, the room was silent. This time, Lois was content to just let it be. Clark was beside her, his hand in her own, and things were right between them again. She hadn't realized until that moment how much he meant to her. How had he broken through the walls she had put up around her heart? All of the Kent's seemed to have a special gift in that arena. They truly were her family. And Clark? He was slowly becoming even more than that. She wasn't quite sure how she felt about that, but now was not the time to ponder. Everything was perfect, and she was going to sit back and enjoy it. She heard a cow moo somewhere in the pasture. Well, nearly everything was perfect.

"So what are you two going to do now?" Chloe asked.

"Live each other's lives until the transfer is reversed," Lois said. "That's really the only thing we can do. If the transfer was supposed to fix something, then living each other's lives seems like the best and most logical thing to speed that up.

"Do any of you have any more questions? Because I'd like to get started as soon as possible." Silence. "Okay then. Mr. and Mrs. Kent? I need to talk to the two of you alone." She turned to Clark, squeezed his hand softly before releasing it, and told him, "I'll meet you outside in a few minutes." He smiled at her and nodded, and she smiled in return. He got up, and headed to the front door. She turned her attention to Chloe.

Chloe looked at her strangely, and then realization hit her. "Oh, right. Well, I guess I'll be outside with Clark if you need me."

Once she had left, Lois turned to the Kent's. It was time for her to talk to them about her new research project.

* * *

Chloe still wasn't convinced. Something was going on between Clark and Lois. Her instincts rarely let her down. They may not have had sex after all, but something had changed. The silent looks, the hand holding, how they seemed to be able to tell what the other was thinking. Everything pointed to something more than friendship. She crept around to the back window and attempted to listen in on Lois and the Kent's conversation. 

She couldn't hear much. It was times like these where she wished she had switched bodies with Clark. His super-hearing could come in handy on occasion. He would have been able to hear their entire conversation, while she could only hear the occasional emphasized word. Time to improvise. She needed to get closer, to somehow sneak back into the house.

She went around to the back door, and slowly opened the screen, trying to make as little noise as possible.

"Chloe? What are you doing?"

Chloe jumped, startled, and turned to face Lois...er...Clark. She still hadn't gotten used to the body switch. "Nothing," she said in the most innocent voice she could muster.

"Nothing? Chloe, I know you. You were in snooping mode."

Right. This was Clark, after all. But then Lois knew her just as well. She wouldn't have bought it either. "So I was. So what? Can you honestly say you're not the least bit curious as to what she is talking to your parents about?"

"Yes, I can honestly say that. Lois will tell me if she wants me to know. It is none of my business otherwise."

Something_ had _changed. Clark would never have said anything like that before. Perhaps she would have more luck finding out something from him.

"You two seem to be getting...close."

"We are. She's quickly becoming one of my best friends. Don't worry, Chloe, I'm not going to replace you anytime soon. You're still my best friend."

_Wow, he said that with a lot of sincerity. Either he's become a better lier in the past week, or he's still completely clueless._ It didn't look like she was going to get much more out of him, but she didn't give up easily.

"Thanks, Clark. That means a lot. So how is being in Lois treating you?"

"I'd rather be myself again, but there isn't anything I can do about that. It looks like I'm going to be stuck in her for a while. There's actually something I've been meaning to ask you about that."

This might be interesting. "Yes?"

"A favor, actually. I need you to give me the girl talk."

"Girl talk?"

"You know. Periods, feminine needs, keeping this body presentable (even though it shouldn't be hard to do), and that kind of stuff."

"Oh." Had he just said all that without stuttering? Where had this new confidence come from?

"I would ask Lois, but I think this conversation would be too much, too soon. It would give her yet another reminder that we could be like this for a while, and I don't want to do that to her. So, are you willing?"

"Sure, Clark. I'll give you the talk." She paused, as she heard Lois yell, "Smallville? Chloe?" Her conversation with the Kent's was apparently over. "But we'll have to talk about this later. I think Lois is looking for us."

"Talk about what later?" Lois asked, as she rounded the corner of the house.

Chloe was about to attempt to cover, but Clark jumped in for her. "Chloe and I just have a few things to take care of. You ready for our training to begin?"

"Yes. Just give me a minute with my cuz. I'll meet you out in the barn."

"Okay," he said, as he started to head that way. "I'll see you in a few."

Again, Chloe was thrown for a loop. He had just left, no questions, no prying. Just...trust. Now she knew that something was happening between them. And something big. Something really big. He hadn't ever even been this way with Lana. But he seemed to trust Lois completely, and Lois seemed to trust him in return.

"So, what's up with the snooping, Chlo'?"

"Snooping?"

"You hanging out by the window, trying to listen in on the conversation I was having with the Kent's."

"How did you...?" She had been careful. There was no way Lois saw her.

"I can see through walls, remember? Did you hear anything? I don't want Clark to know about this yet."

"No, I didn't hear much."

"So this isn't what you are going to talk to Clark about later?"

"No. It's not anything close to this."

"Okay. I can tell you what I told the Kent's, but you have to promise to keep this between us. Promise?"

"I promise."

"I'm researching the caves. Let me say that again. I am researching the caves. I need to do this on my own, okay? I don't want you 'helping' me. Alright?"

"Yes, I understand. But why are you researching the caves?"

"I think he has misread the prophecy concerning his destiny, and it is hurting him. I think I know what it truly means, but I want to make sure before sharing it with him. I didn't have any idea where to start, and that's why I went to the Kent's. Now I do."

"What do you think his destiny is?"

"I'm sorry, I can't tell you that. I trust you, but it is too much of a risk. Clark cannot find out about this yet. He's not ready, and I need to have proof before sharing it with him. It is the only card I have left to play to get him to accept himself, and I have to play it at the right moment. I didn't even tell the Kent's. You have to trust me on this. Please, don't continue to try and pry this out of me. Can you do that?"

Chloe looked at her, and thought about it. She really wanted to know what it was. But this was important to her. Very important. She didn't want to do anything to hurt Lois. "Yes, I won't look into it. I promise."

"Thank you. Now I've got to go meet up with Smallville. He's going to help me get a handle on his abilities. I'm going to need them for our trip to Metropolis later today."

"Metropolis? Why do you two need to go there?"

"Not us, silly. You and me. We have some shopping to do. I don't know how long this whole body switching thing is going to last, but I do know that I will not be able to stand plaid for even one more day. Smallville needs a new wardrobe, and I'm going to give it to him. I've got to meet him at the Talon at five to walk him through my job, and there's no way we can drive up there, shop, and get back before then. Super-speeding down there is the only option."

Chloe smiled at that. It sounded like fun. As long as Lois got a handle on things before then, she was up for it. She should let her get to her practice, but there was just one more thing she needed to know.

"You really didn't sleep with Clark?"

"Of course not! I'm not a slut. I don't just sleep with anyone."

"I know that! But you and Clark are close. Are you saying nothing has ever happened between you two? Ever?"

"No. Nothing has ever happened between us. Not like what you are suggesting. There was that kiss in the caves earlier, but that was-"

"You kissed him!"

"He kissed me. But it was totally platonic. He was thanking me for helping him. It was just a friendly gesture, nothing more."

Chloe wasn't convinced. Kisses usually weren't platonic in nature. "Lois, you know it would be okay if it meant more than that, don't you?"

Lois glanced at her, confusion apparent on her face. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you don't need my permission to start a relationship with him. I'm over him, finally. You make him happy. If you want to be with him, don't hold back on my account."

"I'm glad for you that you are over him, but really, there's nothing between us other than friendship. He doesn't think about me that way."

Chloe smiled. She slipped up. "But you do?"

"I...don't know. He's the kind of man that I could fall in love with, but I really don't want to think about that right now. I've never thought that Smallville was ready for a relationship like that right now, with me, Lana, or anyone else. He's got too much that he has to learn about himself. He needs to come to terms with who he is first. Maybe someday...but not now."

She was impressed. Lois was far more mature than she had ever been. She cared about Clark, a lot, but she wasn't letting that stand in the way of what was best for him. Chloe wished she had been that strong a few years ago. Perhaps if she had, they would have had a fighting chance. She was glad Lois was taking things slow. They had something that she had never had with him, a connection that rivaled the one Clark's parents had. They were so good together.

"I've really got to go, now. Smallville has been waiting patiently, and the sooner I get this taken care of, the sooner we can go. I'm planning on working with him for a few hours. I'll meet you at your place at say...eleven. Does that work for you?"

Chloe checked her watch. It was a quarter 'till nine. She would have time to shower, change, and freshen up. "Yes, that works fine. Have fun with Clark."

"Oh, you know I will," she said with a smirk. "Bye, baby."

"Bye cuz. See you at eleven. Love ya."

"I love you too." And with that, Lois took off towards the barn...a little to fast, crashing completely through the side of the barn. She smiled. Clark was going to have his hands full.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"This is hopeless." Clark sighed in frustration, and ran his hands through his hair. Then he sighed again. It just wasn't the same. He wanted his own hair back. Her hair was gorgeous, but it really didn't give the same comfort that running his hands through his own hair gave him. In fact, it slightly unnerved him, as it reminded him, once again, of their current predicament.

"You're frustrated."

Clark looked at Lois incredulously. "Oh, really? What clued you in to that?"

Lois smirked at him, then frowned. "Well, stop it. You're making me frustrated too."

Clark did a quick check of her feelings. Yes, she was starting to get frustrated. That was not what he wanted. "I'm sorry, Lois. I have faith in you. It's just...it took me years to get a handle on my abilities, and they started out slow. I'm faster and stronger today than I ever have been. I don't see how you're going to master them in a matter of hours."

"Tell me about it, Smallville. At least I've got the super speed thing down. We don't have to worry about me crashing into the barn again. Why don't we move on to something else. We can always come back to the super strength ability later."

"What do you want to work on?"

"How about the laser vision thing. I haven't been able to get that to work yet."

Clark inwardly groaned. Just great. He really didn't want to have this conversation with Lois. At least not yet.

"What is it? What did I say?"

Clark frowned. He hadn't shown any outward emotion. Now he knew Lois could read his emotions. Perhaps this was a good way to change the subject. "You really can read my emotions too, can't you?"

"Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I can. But this is a conversation for later. You're changing the subject. What's bothering you?"

Again, Clark sighed. He mentally prepared himself. He could do this. "The laser vision thing. It's triggered by sex."

"Oh." She paused, thinking. "And here I thought you and Lana never did the deed. Or was it you and Alicia? Regardless, I guess we'll have to move on. There is no way I'm having sex in my current condition."

"What? No, that's not what I meant. It's triggered by thinking about sex. I've never-" Clark stopped, realizing what he was about to say. He wasn't quite sure whether his status was a good or bad thing in Lois' eyes.

"Don't worry, Smallville. I actually think it is sweet, you being innocent and all. You shouldn't feel bad just because everyone else says they've done it. It's noble of you to wait for the right person. I wish I would have."

"So you've..."

"...had sex? Yes. Once. It didn't end well. Turns out the bastard was cheating on his girlfriend with me, had a not-so-legal business going on the side, and had broken his parole and left the state. I haven't exactly had the best track record when it comes to men."

Clark could feel the self-rejection in her, and it surprised him. She was so confident all the time. Did she really have insecurities just like he did? For some reason, that made him admire her all the more. It made her more real and made her confidence all that more impressive.

"Past mistakes aren't everything, Lois. There is someone great out there for you, I know it."

Lois looked at him doubtfully, yet hopefully, as if she needed his reassurance. "You really think so?"

"I know so. You're a great woman. Fun, independent, honest, caring, and, let's face it, gorgeous," he said, glancing down at himself and then back up to Lois. "There's no way there's not someone just as great out there for you."

Lois laughed, and then smiled genuinely for him. "Thank you."

Clark took her hand, and squeezed it gently. "Anytime, Lois. Anytime," he said, mimicking her earlier words to him. She was feeling better already, and it thrilled him. He wasn't about to admit it, but he loved being able to sense her emotions. She gave him strength when he needed it, her joy was his joy, and her sadness, his. He had never felt so connected to anyone. It felt great. He was very thankful to count her as one of his friends. And he was glad that he could be there to encourage her, for once.

"So, about this laser vision thing..."

* * *

"That one works too," Lois said, tossing Chloe another shirt. The two of them had been shopping for the past four hours. So far, Lois had picked out twenty seven shirts, six pair of pants, two new jackets, and twelve pairs of shoes. If someone ever raided Clark's closet, they were going to think he was gay. Chloe had never even met a guy who owned more than four pairs of shoes. The clothes and shoes Lois had picked out were fine. They fit what you would find a normal guy Clark's age wearing, but the amount was excessive. 

Chloe added the newest shirt to the shopping cart and sighed. She enjoyed shopping as much as the next girl, but the men's department simply didn't hold the magic that the women's department did. She was tired, and she wanted to go home. And that was something she never had thought she would say while shopping in Metropolis.

"Don't you think that's enough, Lois? Or should we just pack up the whole store and have it shipped to the Kent's?"

"What? Oh. I guess that will be fine. We should probably be getting back. What time is it, anyway?"

Chloe pulled out her phone and checked the time. "It's almost three. I'm just wondering, though. How are we going to get all of this back to the Kent's? We didn't exactly drive here."

"I'll just make a couple of trips. Smallville was being modest when he said it took twenty minutes to run to Metropolis and back. I can do it in less than five."

"So, we are done then? We can go check out?"

"Yeah, I think so. That should do for now."

Chloe couldn't believe her. She almost thought that Lois just enjoyed trying on clothes in her new body. She did have a great view, after all. "For now? You picked out twenty-seven shirts! I think you're set for quite a while."

"Wow. Did I really pick out that many?"

"Yes, I counted. And you tried on twice as many. If I didn't know any better, I would think you just liked seeing Clark without his shirt on."

"Well, that is partially true..."

"Lois!"

"What? He's got a great body. You should just be thankful that he worked with me on the laser vision thing earlier. Otherwise this whole store would be up in flames."

"Huh? How's that?"

"It's triggered by thinking about sex."

"Oh," she said, automatically. Then it hit her, and she realized what Lois was saying. "OH! Lois!"

"Hey, it's not my fault. It's a normal, teenage guy thing. Or guy thing in general. I don't know."

"So is it true, what they say? Do you think about sex every six seconds?"

Lois pondered that for a moment. "No, not really. I don't know whether it's me in this body that makes the difference, or Smallville's virtuous nature, but it's more like once every five minutes. Although, granted, it didn't start at all until we started shopping."

"Yes, that is very interesting. So, are these thoughts...focused around a particular person?" Lois gave her a look of warning. She smiled brightly. "Ah, so they are. This person wouldn't happen to be a six something farmboy from Smallville, would it? Who just so happens to be standing next to me?"

"Huh? Where?" Lois looked around, obviously not understanding what Chloe was talking about. Then it seemed to dawn on her. "Oh." She paused, as if she was considering whether or not she should share something with her. She looked at Chloe, and her voice changed to a more serious tone. "Chloe, I don't know what to do. I think about him constantly. Literally every waking minute. And not just this," she said, indicating her current body with her hands, "but _him_. Who he truly is. How great he is. How he's such a caring person, and how important he is to me right now. If anything happened to him...I couldn't handle it. No one has ever gotten to me like he has."

Chloe took in Lois' confession. It was true. No one had ever gotten past the Lane walls before. Not like what she had just described. "Do you love him?"

"Do I ever. How is that possible? I wish I could say that I just really like him, but that wouldn't be the truth. I love him desperately. How can so much change in two days?"

"Maybe it hasn't."

"What?"

"Maybe that much hasn't changed. I've seen the way you look at him. And I'm not just talking about the past two days. You've cared about him for a whole lot longer than that. I saw the connection you two have months ago. I think it has just taken the last two days to bring you out of your denial."

"Well what do I do? Nothing's changed since this morning. Clark's still not ready for a relationship like that. And let's face it. I'm not exactly the poster child for knowing what I want to do with the rest of my life. And I understand all that. With my mind, anyway. My heart hates every minute we are apart. His heartbeat is the only thing that's keeping me sane right now."

"His heartbeat? or yours?"

"Uh, both. Ever since we touched the stone, our hearts have been beating in sync. When his is racing, mine is racing. When he's asleep, mine slows down too. My ear was already tuned to hear my body's heartbeat even before we touched the stone, for some reason. Now that our hearts are beating in sync, I simply pick it up naturally, without even thinking."

"So that's why, when Mr. Kent gave Clark CPR, you woke up too?"

"I guess so. I don't really know why the stone reacted the way it did with us. That's something I want to look into as well. Although I don't know if I want to reverse what it did anymore."

Chloe was puzzled. Their hearts beating in sync was cool and very romantic, but it wasn't the end of the world, either. "Why? It isn't that big of a deal."

"Chloe, our hearts more than just beat in sync. They're connected on even an emotional level. I can feel what he feels, and he can feel what I feel."

"What!" This was new. No wonder Lois had realized her feelings for Clark. She had thought that being in Clark's body would be an eye opener. But this? No, this was on a whole other level of clarity. If normal clarity was ground level, and being in Clark's body was two floors up, then feeling his emotions was the top floor of the Empire State Building. The difference was like night and day. This was huge.

"I know. I couldn't believe it myself when I first noticed it. And it annoyed me. Like hell. But now...now I wouldn't give it up for the world. Although I would give it up for Clark.

"Chloe, how did this happen to me? How is it even possible to love someone so much? I don't know what to do. I know what my heart says is right, and I know what my mind says is right. I need to know what you think. Is it...right for me to wait for Clark? for him to be ready? Or am I just being foolish, and throwing away what we could have?"

A year ago, there would have been no doubt. Chloe would have told Lois to go for it. Lois had the courage to take the risk, after all. But now? Their conversation earlier that day had really touched her. Changed her. Lois was right. Clark needed time. He needed to come to terms with who he was. If it was meant to be, it would happen. And she had no doubts about that. Lois and Clark were meant to be.

"No, Lois. You are not being foolish. Love can be blind, but it also cares. You are waiting on Clark because you care what is best for him. I don't think I could be strong enough to do it. But I know you are. You **can** do this. You're the strongest person I know."

"But...I...I don't want to be strong anymore. I just want to be with him. He gives me strength. He opens up a side of me that I never thought existed. I'm vulnerable, yet safe, because I know he'll be there for me. I hate being weak. But I can be weak around him, and it is okay. I can cry in front of him, and he won't judge me. He'll just be there for me. And he'll really care. About me. Do you know how special that makes me feel? My whole life I've thought I had to handle everything on my own. Be strong, the General says. Fend for yourself. He's taught me to be independent. Around Smallville, though, I can be independent. I can be myself, yet I don't have to handle everything myself. He's there. Chloe, I don't think I can live without him anymore. How do I deal with that?"

Chloe waited a minute before responding. She knew what she needed to say. She just had to make sure she said it correctly. She gathered her thoughts together, and then answered. "You don't have to, Lois. You don't have to. I've learned this the hard way. I've had to struggle with a lot of the things that you are feeling now. And dealing is not the answer. It got easier for me eventually, but I don't think that is going to happen with you. You belong together, Lois. You aren't going to be able to deal with living without him. But you don't have to. Is there anything you mentioned, anything at all, that you can't have or you can't be, and still just be friends with him?"

Chloe waited for her to respond. She could tell that the wheels were spinning in Lois' head. "No. It won't be as great as it could be, but no. He's given me all that already, and all we are is friends. Close friends, but still friends."

"Then you can do this. No one ever said this has to be all or nothing. You are allowing him to find himself first. But that doesn't mean that anything you have right now needs to change. You two can still be friends. And friends are there for each other, too."

Lois nodded. Then she looked Chloe in the eye. "Thank you," she said, for the second time that day.

"Anytime, Lois. Now let's get these clothes checked out and go home."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

If Lois were there, the pacing going on in the barn's loft would have started to annoy her twenty minutes ago. But that was Clark's problem. Lois wasn't there. He was worried. She had been in so much anguish earlier. And there was nothing he could do about it. He didn't have his abilities. He couldn't be there for her. Not like this. For once in his life, he wished he wasn't normal.

Clark stopped pacing and placed his hand over his heart. It calmed him, the rhythm of her heartbeat. He didn't have his hearing anymore, but feeling it with his hand helped just as well. He hadn't even noticed he had tuned her heartbeat in until he could no longer hear it. _How long have I been listening to it? _He didn't know. He couldn't exactly remember a time when he hadn't heard it. Perhaps it had been when Lois had nearly drowned, and he almost hadn't gotten there in time. Perhaps it had been when Alicia had died, and Lois had been there to keep him from crossing the line. Perhaps it had been when she had made him make out with Mandy in order to get a story. Focusing on anything other than the girl in front of him was the only thing that helped him not throw up. Perhaps it had been when Lois had nearly gotten a really bad facial. Or perhaps it had even been that first time he really saw her, in the graveyard. Even if he remembered meeting her before that, he hadn't exactly been himself then. And there was no reason Kal-El would have tuned in to her heartbeat. All he wanted was to rule the world. He wouldn't have been concerned with some chick who was only getting in his way. So it couldn't have been the first time they met, in the cornfield.

All he knew for sure was that it did calm him. It comforted him, and gave him strength. She would be okay. He would know if something had happened to her. He could still concentrate and feel her, even though the connection was really weak. Where was she? Distance and the strength of the emotion determined how well he could read her. And he knew it wasn't the strength of the emotion. He didn't know how he knew, but he did. Somehow, he could tell how far away she was. She was at least a minute's run at his full speed away from him. But he could get pretty far in a minute. She could handle herself fine, but that didn't make him worry about her any less. She had been hurting, and he hated to see or feel her hurting. He knew if he could only be there, her pain would lessen. He didn't know why that was, but it was the truth, and she had the same affect on him. They were both stronger together than they were apart. They had a special connection, one that gave strength to the other while strengthening themselves at the same time. And he was glad to count her as his friend.

Clark noticed that their connection was getting stronger. She was on her way home. He had to see her. Where would she go first? Here? The house? Perhaps he could meet her outside. She would see him, wouldn't she? He hurried down the stairs and out of the barn, waiting in the middle of the driveway. Which ever destination she chose, she would have to pass by him first. He felt a strong gust of wind pass by him, and he turned around. There was Lois and Chloe, with Chloe holding on to Lois for dear life, only to release her once she realized they weren't moving.

Clark ran to Lois and embraced her, relief filling him. "It's nice to see you too, Smallville," she said, hugging him in return. "I was only gone a few hours. Can't live without me for that long, huh?"

"I was so worried," he answered, the relief and concern he felt evident in his voice. And still, he held her.

"Clark, I'm kind of invincible right now. What would you have to worry about?"

"I don't know. It wasn't rational worry, I guess. You were hurting earlier, and I couldn't do anything about it."

"Uh, Smallville?"

"Yes?"

"You can let go now. I'm fine, really." She paused, obviously waiting for Clark to release her. He did, although he couldn't bring himself to lose her contact completely, and so he took her hand. "Chloe and I were just having a heart-to-heart. I got a little emotional. There's nothing to worry about. Okay?" He nodded. She allowed him to hold her hand for a few more minutes, before squeezing it lightly and letting go. "I have to go now. We left some stuff in Metropolis, and I need to go back and get it. Clark, really, I'm fine. I'm great."

He took a deep breath, and then released it. "Okay." A slight pause. "What's in Metropolis?"

"Your new wardrobe." And with that, she disappeared, not giving him the chance to respond. Were his quick exits really that annoying?

* * *

It had been a hard day for Lois. She knew what she had chosen to do was right, without a doubt. But that still didn't make it easy. She wanted Clark. Badly. Every second she spent with him made it that much harder when she had to leave his side. She still couldn't believe how much she loved him. How had that happened so quickly? How had she been so blind to feelings this strong for this long? 

Their current situation made everything that she was feeling all the more incredible. She knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that her feelings for him were real. How could they not be? She loved him, and he wasn't even in his own body. He was in hers. That, more than anything else, sealed the deal. It couldn't be just attraction or infatuation. It was impossible for her to be attracted to herself. Yet every single time she saw him her heart melted. Somehow, body switch and all, it was still Clark. When she looked into her hazel eyes, she saw him. She didn't see herself anymore. She was so connected to him that the body he was in didn't matter to her. Hell, he could be in Lionel Luther's body again and she would still love him. And that scared her to death.

How was it possible to love someone so completely, so unconditionally? How had she ever fallen for Clark Kent? He wasn't at all like the people she normally dated. She had thought she had had him pegged. How wrong she had been. He was not some yes ma, yes pa farmboy from Nowheresville. Somehow, learning Clark's secret had made everything click. She finally understood him completely. It wasn't his powers that made him special. It was what he did with them that showed who he really was, and therefore losing those powers didn't change him.

She missed him. A lot. It had only been an hour since they had gone to bed. He had insisted that he sleep on the couch, and she in his bed. Typical. Always the gentleman, even when he wasn't a man. And yet he was, despite what his current body said about him. In her eyes, at least, he was the greatest man alive.

Lois thought back to the events of the day. After returning from Metropolis with the last load of clothes, the two of them had gone up to his room to unpack it all, while Chloe had headed to the school to get to work on the Torch. Lois had laughed when she saw the look on his face when he had seen everything she had bought. His reaction was priceless. His mouth had dropped to the ground, and he had just stared. He would open a bag, pull out a shirt, and just stare at it. Then he would hold it up to her to see how it would look on him, shake his head, and hang it up in rejection. And then he would repeat the whole process with the next shirt.

Once they had finished putting away his new clothes, the two of them had headed to the bathroom to freshen up. She had given him some pointers in fixing her hair, and he had taught her how he shaved. She had to give him credit. Reflecting his laser vision in the mirror was a brilliant idea, even if it was a hard skill to master. But then what other choice had he had? Kryptonite shaving cream?

Seriously, it was tough. You had to use just the right amount of heat. Too much, and you melted the mirror. Too little, and the hair wouldn't burn off. And controlling the intensity wasn't exactly something she had quite mastered. She had passed on attempting it this early in the game, and he, in turn, had passed on taking a shower before heading to the Talon. And so both of them had went a little less presentable than they usually did. But neither of them cared.

At the Talon, things had gone well. Clark had caught on quickly. She was amazed at how quickly he could learn. Under her guidance, he had mastered everything there was to know in only two hours. Even without his powers, the man had natural talent. He could excel at whatever he put his mind too. It was simply amazing.

Amazing could also describe their evening. She took the orders. He made them. They were a great team. And she enjoyed working with him. When business would slow, they would talk. This was her favorite part. She loved hearing about his life, about his interests, about...well, pretty much anything he had to talk about. Their conversation was so natural, so relaxed. And there was still a fair amount of teasing going on. And she wouldn't have it any other way.

Their shift was over before she realized it. Never had four hours gone by so quickly. If only they could work together every day. That would be a dream. But no, it would never happen. There was no way both of them would end up in the same career, much less working together as partners. Still, she could dream, couldn't she?

As the last customer left, they began to clean up. Clark turned on the radio, and they began their closing duties. The coffee filters were replaced, the tables were wiped down, the floors were swept and then mopped, and the cash registers were emptied and counted. With her new abilities, she could have likely gotten it all done in ten minutes or less, but she didn't want the night to end. She truly did enjoy working with him, no matter what they were doing. And so it was nearly ten by the time they finished.

"That's it then," she had told him. "You ready to go?"

He hadn't nodded, or replied back with an aye or nay. He had simply taken her hand. She started for the exit, assuming his gesture was an affirmation, but he stopped her. She then looked at him questioningly.

"Dance with me."

That was the last thing she had expected him to say. "What?"

"Dance with me. We never got the chance to dance last week. I thought I'd make it up to you now. Now dance with me."

Was he serious? When he placed his left hand on her waist, she realized he was. The day had just kept on getting better. She put her left hand on his waist, and they began to dance, just as a new song had begun to play on the radio.

_And I'd give up forever to touch you  
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow  
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be  
And I don't want to go home right now_

_And all I can taste is this moment  
And all I can breath is your life  
and sooner or later it's over  
I just don't want to miss you tonight_

Lois closed her eyes, and drifted closer to him. Her new height prevented her from resting her head on his chest, but in that moment, she didn't care. And she knew he didn't either. She felt his contentment, his peace. He was happy. And she was in heaven. Now she truly didn't want the night to end.

_A__nd I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_

_And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming  
Or the moment of truth in your lies  
When everything feels like the movies  
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive_

_And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_

As they danced, her thoughts drifted over the past two days. If not for what had happened early the day before, they wouldn't have had this moment. They wouldn't have been at the Talon together, he wouldn't have asked her to dance, and she wouldn't have said yes. Maybe this was fate.

_And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_

Their dance continued, and she was oblivious to everything but the man in front of her. Even his current female status escaped her. It was just the two of them. Clark and Lois. And for that she was glad. Any onlookers couldn't have understood how special this was to her. They would only have gotten in the way.

_And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_

_And I don't want the world to see me  
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand  
When everything's made to be broken  
I just want you to know who I am_

_I just want you to know who I am  
I just want you to know who I am  
I just want you to know who I am_

The song ended, and she looked down into his eyes. The happiness in them reflected what she felt in her own heart, and the happiness in his heart melded with her own, until she couldn't tell where her feelings ended and where his began. This was how it always should be. This is what she truly wanted. To be with him, to feel him, and to know him, for the rest of her life.

Lois' thoughts drifted back to her current reality. The evening had been so perfect. And now? She was alone. He wasn't with her. He wasn't far, but he wasn't near, either. And nearness to him is what she so desperately wanted. And again, she couldn't believe that she needed him so badly. Was a friendship with him even worth it? The thought of losing his friendship scared her to death, but was the pain she would feel in losing his friendship worse than the pain she was feeling right now? She didn't know how much more of this she could take. They were so good together. And they could be great together. And it hurt, that she couldn't have that.

This was irrational. She shouldn't be thinking like this. She loved Clark. Her first thought should be what was best for him, not what she wanted. But it hurt. She needed him, and every second that they were apart was a second too long.

The first few tears had fallen without her knowledge. By the time she had taken notice, it was to late. She had begun to cry. That was yet another thing she didn't understand. She had cried more in the last few days than she had in her entire life. It didn't make any sense. Didn't men open up less than women? Weren't they less emotional? Or did this have nothing to do with her condition, and everything to do with the current state of her heart? She didn't know. All she knew, was that she was hurting, and the tears were the only thing that was allowing her to cope with that pain.

She had to leave. There was no other choice. She couldn't take this anymore. Clark needed the time to find himself, and she either needed some space or she needed to be with him. The latter wasn't an option. She had to leave.

This thought only intensified her tears. Why did life have to be so unfair? Why had fate saw fit to throw this on her now? She would have never realized her feelings for Clark if he hadn't told her the truth, he wouldn't have told her the truth if they hadn't switched bodies, and they wouldn't have switched bodies if fate had not intervened. But it was all for Clark. For some reason unknown to her, the switch was going to protect him. It was going to get him ready for his destiny. Jor-El had said that the future was certain if fate had not intervened. To her, that meant Clark would be in danger. Still, it wasn't fair.

She had really tried the whole friendship thing. She had truly thought that Chloe was right, that it didn't have to be all or nothing. She thought that she could just be Clark's friend, and nothing more. But her feelings were simply too strong. She needed him too much, and the longer she spent with him, the worse it would get. It was better to end it now than to wait until the pain got so strong that it killed her. And she could honestly see that happening.

All of a sudden, her pain lessened, almost as if someone had taken it for her. She felt an arm close in around her waste, and another slid under her neck.

"It is going to be okay, Lois. I'm here now." It was Clark. He was there. With her. She felt his concern, and his...love? He loved her. Wow. She smiled through her tears. Clark Kent loved her. She felt it. He felt the same way about her as she did about him. And the thought gave her strength. Once again, he gave her strength. And his strength worked wonders.

Clark lied there with her, on the bed, for several minutes, comforting her, being there for her. Each and every moment he spent there, her strength of will increased and her acceptance of her situation was brought closer to reality. And eventually, it came. The pain she felt faded completely, and the love that she had for the man that was with her grew. And it began to change her. Her heart slowly began to be enveloped with love. One by one, the places in her heart that held remnants of pain were replaced by feelings of absolute and unconditional love. Her love was being transformed into something greater than it had been. She was at peace.

It was in that moment that she found the strength to carry on. Whatever the future held, she would be there for Clark. There were no longer strings attached to her love. She still needed him, but she was willing to put that aside if it meant helping him. She was now willing to do anything for him, whether he was with her, with someone else, or alone. She loved him unconditionally.

Clark began to rise, as if he sensed her peace, and knew that she would be alright. "Smallville?" He paused as she turned to look at him. "Can you...stay here tonight? Your presence helps me."

"Sure, Lois. I'll go get a blanket to put on the floor."

"No. I mean, here," Lois said, patting the bed with her hand, "with me."

He simply nodded. She lifted the comforter and climbed under it, then pulled it back to allow him entry. He lied down next to her, facing her, and she pulled the comforter back up, covering him too. She took his hand in hers, and her eyes slid closed, suddenly heavy. Within moments, she was asleep, her face still wet from her tears, yet a small smile on her face. She was home.

(**A/N**: Song is Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls)


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

Clark stared at the sleeping form of his own body. It was just too weird. It was all just too weird. Lois was in his body, for crying out loud! And he was in hers. And it suddenly hit him just how weird their dance earlier had been. It hadn't mattered before, when she was awake. No matter who's body she was in, it was Lois. He could sense her. He could feel her presence. Their dance hadn't seemed awkward at the time because her outward appearance hadn't mattered to him. All he could see was Lois. When he held her hand, when he looked into her eyes, he didn't see or feel himself. He saw and felt her. But now that she was asleep, it was different. Her presence was in the background, and he had to concentrate to feel it.

Clark's thoughts drifted to his current situation. Had she meant for him to stay all night? or until she fell asleep? He didn't know. He began to release his hand from hers, to get out of bed and drift downstairs, but the action caused Lois to stir, and he felt her peace start to drift away. His presence calmed her, even in her sleep. He didn't understand why, but it did. So he let it be. He would stay with her. He owed her that much. She had been so brave and thoughtful these past two days. He could never repay her for what she had done for him in the caves. He had needed that conversation. Desperately. His whole life seemed to stretch out in front of him now, instead of being in doubt. And it wasn't just about his newfound reassurance that he would not end up alone. The new confidence and hope had changed him, made him bolder. He wanted to change, to become stronger. He didn't know who she was, but she was out there, and she was amazing. And he wanted to be amazing for her. She deserved it.

Lois had given him all that. And he was forever thankful. She had rescued him, and now it was his turn to rescue her. He didn't know what had gotten her so upset, but he was willing to do anything and everything in his power to help her pull through it. He didn't need to know what had gotten to her. She would tell him when she was ready. There was no reason to push her for an explanation. He didn't even need one. All he needed to know was that she was hurting, and, thanks to their new connection, he had known. And he had been able to help her deal, to lend her some of his strength. And he was grateful that he had been able to do that. He just wanted to give her what she had given him. She had given him what he needed, when he needed it. He simply wanted to do the same for her.

That's what their dance had been about. She had been struggling with something the entire day. It wasn't noticeable, or it wouldn't have been to anyone but him. It was something small and in the background. But he knew it was getting to her. When he had heard the DJ announce that Iris was going to be played, he had felt the jump in her heart. He had to have felt it. His heart had jumped too. And the thought had just hit him. _Ask her to dance._ It had come out of nowhere, and he had dismissed it at first. But the thought wouldn't go away. And the more he thought about it, the more he realized that it was just what Lois needed at that moment. He didn't understand why a dance with him would help her, but he knew that it would. He could feel it.

It hadn't been enough, though. Whatever had been bothering her all day, it had hit her hard when she had gotten home. And again, he did something completely out of the ordinary for him, and went to her. But he had to. She was hurting, and he didn't want her to be hurting. If jumping off a bridge would have eased her pain, he would have done it (although he couldn't really think of a situation where jumping off a bridge would ease her pain. She would have to have been really angry with him. And he didn't think that was enough. She was just to caring a person to react that way. No, jumping off a bridge would never help her). But she had needed him beside her. So he had been there. And she needed him now, and so he would stay with her. All night, if she needed it.

Clark's thoughts didn't keep him awake much longer. The slow, rhythmic beating of her heart was making it hard to stay awake. When your heart was beating as if you were asleep, it took some effort to keep yourself awake. He had been successful so far, but with the realization that she might need him all night, his determination faltered. His eyes suddenly became very heavy, closing slowly. His mind wandered for a few more minutes, thinking over the events of the day. It had been a fun and memorable day, and he had made some progress in his new project to help out Lois. She had been there for him, and he was going to be there for her.

Clark drifted off to the land of dreams, his thoughts of Lois drifting off with him.

* * *

Lois rested comfortably in her bed. She was awake, but her eyes were still closed and the world outside of her blankets was a bit too cold, so she was in no hurry to get up. The bedroom door opened briefly, then closed softly. Still, she was in no hurry to get up, much less open her eyes and investigate.

A pair of feet walked slowly over to the bed, and a strong smell began to drift into her nostrils. Coffee. Someone had coffee. She opened one eye, and then the other. A cup of coffee was being held seductively up to her face, and a pair of blue eyes and a wide grin was at the end of the arm. She sat up slowly, holding the comforter up against her chest with her right arm, and taking the cup of coffee with her left hand. She inhaled the sweet aroma, and sipped it slowly. Ah, this was heaven.

She smiled a thank you to Clark, who was now sitting on the bed next to her. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips, and she returned the kiss tenderly. Their lips parted, and he looked at her lovingly as he lifted his right hand to her face and began to caress her long brown hair.

"Good morning, Beautiful."

"Good morning, Smallville," she said in return, before taking another sip of her coffee.

"Did you sleep well?"

"Yes, I did. I slept beautifully. Didn't want to get up, in fact."

"I figured as much. Thus, the coffee."

"Yes, thank you. There is nothing like coffee to get a girl motivated in the morning."

"Oh really? Coffee, huh?" He winked at her seductively, kissed her once again to emphasize his point, then got up off the bed.

Lois gave him a stern look, before laughing at his antics. Okay, so there was something better than coffee to get her up in the morning.

Clark smiled widely in victory. Then he glanced to the watch on his arm. "You slept in a bit. We're going to be late for work if you don't get up soon."

Lois glanced at the clock on the wall, then nodded. There was no need to rush, but she did need to start getting ready soon. She downed the rest of her coffee, placed the cup on the coaster on the nightstand, and started to get out of bed.

"Just let me get dressed first."

"Okay," was all he said in response. He leaned against the wall, folded his arms across his chest, and looked at her intently.

Lois again laughed at his antics. "Do you want to help me get dressed too?"

Clark shook his head and smiled. "No, I think I'll just watch."

Lois eyed him playfully and smiled. "Are you sure you can just watch, Smallville? We are on our way to being late already. And I don't think our boss would be too understanding when I tell her why we were late."

Clark raised an eyebrow at her threat. "That won't be necessary. I won't move from this spot until you're done. Scout's honor," he said, holding his right hand over his heart and his left hand up in the air.

Lois wasn't sure how much weight his promise held, considering he had never been a boy scout. At least not officially, anyway. He was getting close to establishing his own organization, though, as the term did describe him. Although his performance the night before had lessened the applicableness of the word. She smiled at that. He had been _good_. But now was not the time to be thinking about that. She needed to focus on the task at hand: getting ready for work. She released her hold on the comforter, and got out of bed.

Clark did a one over on her nude form, pausing momentarily just below her neck and waist, before looking back up into her hazel eyes, which turned him on as much as any of her other features.

Lois looked at him, shook her head, and sighed. He really wasn't helping her concentration. She quickly focused on momentarily blocking out most of his emotions, then headed on over to the dresser to find something to wear. She got dressed much quicker than even she thought she could, much to the disappointment of one Clark Kent, but he really didn't give her a choice. She could only block him out for so long at this distance, especially with the strength of the emotions she was getting from him. And despite her own feelings on the matter, the two of them really needed to get to work.

"Okay, I'm finished."

"Great. I've got breakfast ready downstairs." He left his position against the wall and walked to her, taking her hand in his own. Then the two of them headed down the stairs to the kitchen, where two plates of bacon, eggs, and biscuits awaited them. A fresh cup of coffee also rested next to each plate. Clark had really overdone himself. The food and coffee smelled wonderful.

Lois squeezed Clark's hand tightly in appreciation. Then she decided that the gesture wasn't enough, and wrapped her arms around his neck, closed the six inches he had on her, and kissed him. She felt his arms around her waste and her kiss returned. It was a sweet, loving kiss, with a hint of passion and a small amount of tongue, and it lasted several seconds.

When their lips parted, Clark smiled in contentment and looked into her eyes. "Not that I'm complaining, but what was that for?"

"For making me breakfast."

"Remind me to make you breakfast more often," he said with a smirk.

They sat down at the table together, side by side, Lois on the left and Clark on the right, enabling them to eat and hold hands at the same time, although they did have to put down their forks to sip their coffee. Neither cared, though. The strength and peace the contact gave the other was worth the sacrifice involved.

Conversation was scarce, as each of them attempted to eat as quickly as possible, but the silence wasn't in any way awkward. In fact, it was quite the opposite. The silence was pleasant and comfortable. Lois never thought a silence could be that pleasant. But it was. Spending time in silence with him was always pleasant and enjoyable. She loved to be near him, no matter the situation. Conversation, silence, bantering, sleeping, "not sleeping", working, eating, and even fighting. She enjoyed his company no matter what they were doing together, and whether or not they were doing anything at all. He was her everything. Anything that she did, if she did it with Clark, she enjoyed more. Anywhere that she was, if she was there with Clark, she liked more. He completed her and made her happy. He was her strength when she had none, her security when she was in danger, and her support when she was sad. And most importantly, he was hers and she was his. They belonged together, and they belonged to each other.

"This is how it should always be."

"What do you mean?"

"Like this. You and me. Me and you. Together, in love, and happy. I hope we can always be like this."

Clark smiled at her. "I do too. And I think we can. I know I will do anything in my power to keep it this good between us."

"I will too. I-" she paused abruptly, seeing the look in his eyes and feeling his concern. Someone was in trouble. "Go. Go help them. I'll drive myself to work." He nodded, and got up to leave, but Lois' hand stopped him. He turned to look at her. "I love you, Clark Kent."

"I love you too, Lois Lane Kent." And with that, he left, the wind gushing in his wake, blowing her hair back. Lois smiled. It still thrilled her every time he did that. Every time he left to go save someone, it made her love him that much more, because she knew how hard it was for him to leave her. It was just as hard for her to see him go. But she let him. Every time. And she would continue to do so, because that was who he was. And she loved him for it.

* * *

A noise woke Clark with a start. The noise did not register immediately, however, as his dream was still the primary focus of his thoughts. What in the world had triggered a dream like that? Him and Lois, sleeping together? in love? and married? Huh? It didn't make any sense. Why would he dream about something like that? He loved her, yes, but he wasn't "in love" with her. He had been thinking about marriage the day before, true, but not to Lois. He had been thinking about her, whoever she was, and about getting his life on track and becoming a better man for her. Was it just a combination of everything that had happened over the past two days? He had spent a lot of time with Lois, and she had been the one to get him thinking about his future to begin with. That had to be the reason. Yes, that must be it. He had simply inserted Lois into the position of his future wife because he had spent so much time with her recently, and the fact that he was in her body had likely played a part as well.

The noise that awoke him initially again sounded, and he realized this time that the sound was a pair of feet heading up the stairs. He looked to the bedroom door, which stood wide open. In the frame stood his mother, a look of surprise on her face. The footsteps stopped, and his father appeared behind her.

"Clark Jerome Kent!"

At first Clark was confused as to the reason behind his father's outburst. That is, until he recalled the night before and felt the hand that was in his own give him a light squeeze of support. Then his own eyes widened, imitating the look his mother was giving him at the moment. This was going to be an interesting conversation.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

Lois hated awkward silences. But this? This was an epic awkward silence. It completely redefined the term. _Somebody, say something!_

Clark broke the silence, as if he had read her thoughts. "Nothing happened."

Mr. Kent looked at him questioningly. "Nothing happened? You two slept together. I wouldn't call that nothing."

"We slept together," Clark answered, "yes. But we didn't _sleep_ together. Lois was going through something last night, and I came up to give her my support. I stayed with her until she fell asleep, and fell asleep myself a few minutes after that. And that's all that happened."

"You are still in trouble, Clark. No son of mine is going to sleep with a woman he is not married to, no matter what the circumstances."

"I'm not your son."

Lois' eyes went extremely wide. Had he really just said that to his parents? Accepting his heritage was one thing, but he couldn't just discard his parents like that. She looked to Mr. and Mrs. Kent and saw the hurt that was evident on their faces. How could he do that to them? They hadn't given him any reason to be that angry. They had always only shown him love and support. Had she truly been that wrong about him? He wasn't the person she had thought he was. No, she couldn't have been that wrong about him. It must have been a mistake. He mustn't have meant what he had said. But what other explanation was there?

Lois felt her heart start to break. She was close to tears, but refused to let them fall. Letting even one tear fall would be to admit defeat. She had to trust him. She had to believe he was the person she had fallen in love with. She understood him and loved every part of him, both his qualities and his faults. But the thing about him she loved the most was his caring nature and her belief that he would always do everything in his power to protect those he loved. Love ruled his life. And she couldn't accept that that wasn't who he was.

She didn't want to check his feelings for anger, but she did anyway. She had to know. She looked at him and focused, sensing confusion and embarrassment, but not even a hint of anger. Relief filled her. He had been misunderstood. Suddenly she laughed, realizing the meaning of his words. The Kent's looked at her in shock and even more hurt. And why wouldn't they? The current situation didn't exactly scream hilarity.

"Mr. Kent, Mrs. Kent, Clark didn't mean what he said the way it sounded."

The confusion was now evident on the Kent's faces, although their hurt was still present too. Mr. Kent looked at her and said, "I think Clark can speak for himself on the matter."

Clark looked to his parents, then to Lois, then back to his parents, his face and emotions still screaming confusion. Then his eyes widened in realization, and he quickly tried to recover from his slip. "No, Lois is right. I didn't mean it that way. I'll always be your son, no matter what happens. I'm just not exactly your son at the moment, since I'm not currently male."

After a quick inspection from the Kent's to see if he meant what he had said, the tension in the room lifted and both let out a small chuckle. Soon a round of laughter filled the air, and the mood lightened considerably. After several minutes, when the laughter had finally died down, Mr. Kent looked at Lois and asked her, "How did you know what Clark meant? It wasn't exactly obvious."

Lois faltered, unsure of what she should say. Was this really the right time to tell the Kent's about their connection? She looked at Clark questioningly, asking him with her eyes what he thought she should say. She heard him whisper, "I'll handle this," under his breath, and she nodded and waited for him to explain.

"She knew for the same reason that I knew she was hurting last night. We've kind of shared a...connection since the stone incident yesterday."

Mrs. Kent looked at him in confusion. "A connection? You mean you can read each other's thoughts?"

"No. I don't think so. But I can feel what she is feeling, and she can feel what I am feeling." He paused, waiting for them to take the information in. "Our hearts are also connected somehow. They beat at the same time, all the time."

Lois raised an eyebrow at him. She had wondered whether or not he had noticed that part. Now she knew, although how he had discovered it was still a mystery to her. She wouldn't have noticed it herself if she hadn't had his amazing hearing and hadn't already been listening to his heartbeat. She would have to ask him later how he had figured that out without either of the clues she had had.

She focused her attention back on the Kent's, interested in knowing how they were handling this new information. They were both surprised, but otherwise appeared to be taking it well.

"The stone did this to you?" Mr. Kent asked.

"Yes. Although I'm still not sure why. Fate wasn't going to allow the stone to switch us back, since we still haven't accomplished whatever it is we are supposed to accomplish, but it doesn't make much sense why it connected us like it did." A thought suddenly hit her. _Oh. My. Gawd._ Her eyes grew to the size of quarters. That seriously could not be the reason, could it? It made perfect sense, but still...that couldn't be the reason. It just couldn't be. Because if it was the reason, then that would mean... Her heart skipped a beat, joy filling it. She didn't show it outwardly, but she knew that Clark would have picked up on it. She couldn't think about this right now. This wasn't exactly the kind of information she could share with anyone in the room. Not yet, anyway.

Clark looked at her questioningly. "What is it?" he whispered to her. She mouthed, "Later," to him, and again turned to look at the Kent's. They were looking at the two of them with an amused look, obviously having caught the exchange, even if they hadn't heard what had been said.

"Did Jor-El mention anything about this connection when you talked to him?"

Lois considered how she should answer Mrs. Kent's question. She didn't want to lie to them, but she couldn't exactly share what she had just learned, either. Not with them, and especially not with Clark sitting right there.

"I did ask him about it, but he was as cryptic as always. I'm not sure that he even knew." She paused for a moment, thinking about a way to change the subject. She looked at the clock on the wall, and then back to the Kent's. "Can we continue this later? I really need to start getting ready, or Clark's body is going to be late for school."

"So you are going to go to school for Clark?" Mrs. Kent asked.

"Yes. I'll take notes and bring it home. Smallville can't exactly show up. It would raise to many questions. And we agreed yesterday that we were going to live each other's lives until this thing got fixed." She took their nods as agreement and slid off the bed. She still had on her clothes from the day before, which still smelled like coffee from working at the Talon. Not that her clothes smelling like coffee was a bad thing. Coffee was one of the best smells in the world. No, it was the fact that she hadn't had a shower in two days that motivated her to change. With all the crap she had given Smallville about taking a shower, it was kind of ironic that she hadn't even had one. But that was going to change. She wasn't about to show up at school smelling the way she did.

Lois grabbed a shirt and pair of jeans that she had picked up yesterday, as well as a clean pair of boxers, and headed to the bathroom, leaving Clark and the Kent's behind her. She turned on the shower, stripped, and climbed in. She could have taken advantage of the situation before her, but her thoughts were focused elsewhere. She really needed to talk to Chloe. She had to tell someone about this, and Chloe was the only one who could really know. But she would be at school, so the sooner she got ready, the sooner she could talk to her.

Lois shampooed her hair, washed her body, and rinsed quickly. She was in and out in under five minutes. She had had to take a few military showers in her time, after all. She got dressed, thought about shaving before dismissing the idea (it still hadn't grown enough for her to risk it), and ran over to the barn to pick up Clark's backpack. Several seconds later, she was at Chloe's door, ready to drive with her to school. She could not wait until classes were over to talk to her. She needed to talk to her now.

* * *

"Lois sure left in a hurry."

That she did. What was that all about? Clark had heard about military showers, but hers was ridiculous. It shouldn't be humanly possible to shower that quickly. Then again, perhaps it wasn't. She had been getting better at using his abilities. Regardless, it didn't make very much sense. School didn't start for another hour anyway. She did have plenty of time to get ready. It wasn't like she was running late.

Clark groaned. Did everything have to remind him of his dream? It still hadn't faded from his mind, and that was getting to him. If only the whole thing hadn't been in full color surround sound. Maybe then it wouldn't have been as hard for him to forget. But it didn't appear that he was going to be doing that anytime soon. A specific scene or two definitely wasn't going to be leaving his mind for a while, at the very least.

"Clark?"

He turned to his mother. "Yes?"

"Do you know what that was about?"

"What what was about?"

"Did you even hear what I said? Lois. Her quick exit. Do you know what that was about?"

"Oh. No, I don't. I was wondering the same thing. She got really excited and happy near the end of our conversation, seemingly out of the blue, and she's stayed that way. It has to be something big, though, if she would skip out on the chance to eat your cooking. And coffee." Clark looked down at his own plate. Bacon, eggs, and biscuits. He groaned again. This was going to be a long day.

His mother looked at him in concern. "What's wrong, honey?"

"Nothing. Just a bad dream that I haven't been able to shake yet." He needed to focus his mind on something else, and his plans for the day seemed to be as good of a distraction as any. Lois didn't have work today, so he didn't need to worry about going in to the Talon. He didn't have school, because Lois was filling in for him. But she hadn't done his chores, so he could get started on them. After that, he was free until about noon, when he would need to leave for Metropolis in order to get there on time for his appointment at three. The meeting shouldn't take more than an hour, and so he'd be back in Smallville at around seven. He still needed to have that talk with Chloe, and she'd be done with school and the Torch by then. And perhaps he could talk to her about that dream, too.

Clark shook his head, then laughed. So much for that idea. Distraction wasn't going to work either. "Mom, I'm going to get started on my chores." He finished the last of his breakfast, downed his coffee, and placed his plate in the sink, rinsing it off.

"Honey, you don't have to do that. Your father and I can handle them."

"Mom, don't worry about it. I may not be my usual self, but I'm not helpless. And I'm not going to let you two cover for me. I'm going to carry my own weight, even if it is only half as much as it used to be. Love you." And with that, he went out the front door to start his chores.

* * *

Chloe heard the knock on the front door. _Who would be here at this time of day?_ "I'll get it, dad," she called out as she ran to the door. She opened it, and saw... "Clark? What are you doing here?" Clark looked at her strangely, then forced a cough. _What is wrong with him?_ Then it hit her. "I'm sorry, I mean Lois. I still haven't gotten it all to register completely. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I just thought I could ride with you to school today."

"Uh...Lois? I'm not leaving for at least another half hour. I'm not even ready yet. You wouldn't be here if it wasn't something important. Now what's going on?"

Lois smiled brightly. It was obvious she was excited about something. So there wasn't anything wrong. But whatever was going on, it still had to be big.

"Can I come in? We can talk while you get ready."

"Sure." She let Lois in, shut the door behind her, and led her to her room. When they entered, Lois ran and jumped on the bed like she usually did, but when she landed, the supports broke and the bed fell to the floor.

"Oh! I'm so sorry! I didn't mean -"

"Stop! I know. It's not your fault. Don't worry about it. I'll have my dad fix it later. Now what's going on?"

The guilt faded from Lois' face, and her earlier excitement resurfaced. It was then that Chloe realized it wasn't just excitement. It was pure bliss, pure happiness. She was brightening the room like a hundred watt light bulb. She suspected that if Lois was locked in a dark room at that moment, she would have still been able to see perfectly fine. What could possibly be making her so happy?

"There's a chance for Clark and I," she blurted out, still smiling brightly and now also shaking with excitement.

She really loved him a lot, didn't she? Chloe wanted to be mad, even if there wasn't really a reason to be, but she couldn't. Her excitement was simply to contagious. She smiled brightly, genuinely, and replied, "That's great! Lois, I'm really happy for you. Did something happen?"

"No, not really. Well, there was the dance last night, and we did sleep together, but -"

Chloe felt like she was going to throw up. "You slept with him? In your current state?"

"No! Nothing like that. We just slept together. There was no sex involved."

"But still...wow. Was there a reason behind this, or was it just on a whim?"

"Let me explain. Yesterday was perfect. It was likely the best day of my entire life. After you left, me and Smallville went to the Talon so I could show him the ropes. He caught on very quickly, and the two of us just worked together all night. It was amazing. I love working with him. He handled every rude customer for me, and when business died down, we would just talk. Then the night ended, but I didn't want it to. As we were about to leave, out of the blue, he asked me to dance. Actually, he kind of told me to dance with him.

"The dance was amazing. It was like the whole world faded away, and it was just the two of us. And I mean everything faded away. I didn't even notice that I was actually dancing with myself. I looked down at him, and saw him, not me. It was perfect. But then it was over, and we went home. And it killed me that we are so great together, yet I can never have that with him. And I cried in my bed. Smallville felt it, apparently, and came in to comfort me. And all the pain just went away. It was like a dream.

"And then there was that dream. We were married, in love, and happy. He brought me coffee in the morning, watched me get dressed, cooked for me...It was a real dream."

"As apposed to a fake dream?"

"No. I mean it was a real dream. The dream portrayed all of my dreams coming true. That is what I know we can be like. And then when the Kent's came in, it just clicked."

"Wait. The Kent's caught you in bed together? I bet that was an interesting conversation."

"It wasn't that bad, actually. Smallville explained what happened, and then he said something crazy, and we all laughed about it. But then they found out about our connection, and that's when it clicked. That's when I knew that we have a chance."

"What clicked? What do you mean?"

"What Jor-El said in the caves. What this whole body transfer thing is all about. What fate stepped in to fix. Us. Me and Clark."

Chloe looked at her in confusion. She wasn't making any sense. What did their body switch have to do with there chances with each other? "I don't understand. You're saying that you switched bodies so that you would fall in love?"

"Yes. Or, at least partly. In the caves, Jor-El said that fate had intervened to change the outcome of the future. Then he said that Clark needed to find strength through a connection. A connection, Chloe. Like the one Clark and I have. And it's obvious that we give each other strength. When I'm around him, life is so much easier. He makes me a better person. He makes me so happy.

"And we might be able to have a life together. Chloe..." She paused, as the tears in her eyes limited her words. "We have a chance, Chlo'. We have a chance! I can't even believe it myself. This could really work! I could actually be with Clark!"

Chloe was so happy for her. The happiness and joy was radiating from her. Lois had really fallen hard for Clark. She had seen the connection between them from the start, but she hadn't realized just how connected they truly were until now. She had wanted a relationship with Clark too. But would it have ever made her this happy? The one time they had gone for something more, she had been thrilled. But she hadn't been this thrilled. No, Lois and Clark had something special. No wonder fate had intervened to bring them together.

_Lois must be on Cloud Nine right about now._ What did that really mean, anyway? On Cloud Nine? It didn't really make a lot of sense. Perhaps it meant that one was floating above all the clouds. Were there eight layers to the clouds? She couldn't remember, but she would definitely be looking it up later. Regardless, Lois seemed to be truly floating on air.

Her mouth dropped. Lois was hovering about a foot above the bed. "Lois, you're floating!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Clark couldn't help the smile on his face. He was cleaning the chicken coup, his least favorite activity on the entire farm, and he was grinning from ear to ear while doing it. And he had never thought that would happen. But he couldn't help himself. Lois was happy. Truly, overwhelmingly, blissfully happy. And it thrilled him. He loved seeing her happy. Or, more accurately, feeling her happy. He didn't know what had caused her sudden burst of joy, but he was thankful for it.

Finished with the coup, Clark went inside and washed his hands, then kissed his mother on the cheek. "Morning, mom. I'm finished with my chores."

His mother looked at him in surprise. "You certainly are in a good mood today."

"I can't help myself. It's Lois. She's really, really happy. And it's contagious."

She smiled knowingly at him, but Clark missed it. "You really like her, don't you?"

"What? I don't..." He momentarily put aside his natural reaction of denial, and thought about what she had said for a moment. Did he like Lois? She was a great woman, a great friend, and a great person. The fact that she was normally very attractive didn't hurt the situation either. And he was dreaming about her. That had to count for something. The dream content really didn't match up to his current feelings. Marriage was, after all, a bit of a stretch at the moment. Too much, to soon. But could he imagine them going out? dating? being more than just friends?

"I guess I do. She's really great, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is. I've grown really attached to her since she moved back in with us. She's part of the family."

"I know. I've thought that myself. She still annoys me like no one else I know, but I think I'm starting to enjoy it. She brings out this whole other side of me, and it's a side I like. Even before she found out who I am, I felt like I could be myself around her. It's nice."

"I've noticed that too. I'm glad she makes you happy, Clark. Are you going to ask her out?"

"I don't know. Don't you think it would be kind of weird, with the way things are now?"

His mother didn't respond right away. She was obviously thinking. Clark looked at her intently, interested in her reply. "No, I don't think so. Not if you take things slow. You really need to get to know her better anyway. I think your current situation would be further motivation to take things slow, to not get involved physically too fast. Your father and I dated for almost six months before we had our first kiss."

This was news to Clark. "Really? But you are so in love right now."

"And we were back then, too. And I wanted to take things further, but your father was as principled then as he is now. He took things slow, and our marriage has benefited because of it. That early foundation helped us through a lot of tough times."

Clark thought about this for a few minutes. It made sense. Get to know her before rushing into anything larger. If it didn't work out, they would still have their friendship to fall back on, because they wouldn't have gotten involved physically. And the stronger their early relationship, the stronger their later relationship would be if it did work out.

"Thanks, mom." He hugged her, then kissed her on the cheek again. "That helps a lot. I'm going to go get ready."

"You're going to go ask her right now?"

"No. I'm going to go get ready for my trip to Met-U today. Didn't I tell you I was going?"

"You didn't mention it to me, no. Why are you going to Met-U?"

"I want to try and get Lois back in there for the Fall. I know she could do well if she got another chance. I have an appointment with the Dean at three. It's eleven now. I'm going to shower and freshen up before I go. Could you...pick something out for me? I'm horrible when it comes to clothing, as Lois has pointed out on numerous occasions."

"Sure, honey. I'll find something appropriate."

"Thank you. I think I might need some help with her hair, too. I'll let you know when I'm done showering." He kissed her yet again, and headed on up to the bathroom, while his mother looked at him proudly. He was really starting to grow up. He was becoming the man she had always hoped he would be. And she believed Lois had played a major role in his new confidence and focus. It was to early to know for sure, but she believed he had found a woman he could spend the rest of his life with. And for that she was glad.

* * *

Twenty minutes. She had been at school for only twenty minutes, and had already been called to the principles office. That had to be a record. For Clark, definitely. For her? Perhaps. No, she had been called in once after only five minutes, once. But it hadn't been her fault. That guy so had it coming to him. She would kick the ass of any guy that grabbed her ass.

"Ah, Mr. Kent. I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you, and I didn't think I ever would. But I guess I was wrong. Because of your exceptional record, I'm going to give you the benefit of doubt. What happened?"

What happened? Lois thought back to the events of a few minutes ago. She still wasn't quite sure herself. The guy had just started attacking her. She hadn't even seen the first punch coming, and she could see a lot. He had just walked up to her, and punched her in the face. It hadn't hurt, but that hadn't stopped her from throwing him a round kick to the chest. It had been instinct. Her instinct had thrown him all the way across the room, though, and left the guy with a sprained wrist and two broken ribs, as well as bruises everywhere. It looked like had been beaten up for several minutes. And his story had been that she had just attacked him.

What could she say? She couldn't possibly tell him the truth. She had promised she would keep Clark's secret with her life, and she was going to. But if she didn't tell him the truth, she would end up looking like the bad guy, and she didn't want to do that to Clark either.

She wished he was there with her. He would know what to say. Or, at the very least, would give her the strength and inspiration she needed right then. He would make this alright. But her current situation was anything but alright. No matter what she said, Clark would look bad. He was going to be so mad at her, and for good reason. She had messed up. Big time. And he would have to pay for it. His reputation was going to suffer as the result of her actions.

How would she ever face him after this? Did they even have a chance at being friends now? This morning she had been so happy. It figured that everything would come crashing down on her. She had messed up everything else that she had going for her. Why not the one thing that she wanted more than anything else? Of course she would mess it up too. How had she ever believed that she had a chance with Clark? He was light years ahead of her. What could he ever possibly see in her? He helped people, and she hurt them. What could she possibly offer him?

A feeling of worthlessness washed over her, and then she felt something else. Acceptance? Care? Assurance that everything was going to be fine? She knew the feelings were from Clark, but they seemed to be different, almost like he was purposely focusing on projecting his feelings to her. She hadn't felt much from him all morning, yet now she was feeling him as if he were right next to her, holding her hand. He was lending her his strength, purposely helping her through the situation, even though he had no idea what was going on. Did he truly care that much for her, that he would go to such lengths to help her?

It was then that she realized that Clark would forgive her. He would understand. He always understood. Even now, he was forgiving her. Somehow he could tell that her worries were directed towards him, and she felt his forgiveness in response. He was the most amazing man she had ever met. No wonder she had fallen in love with him. She was only surprised she hadn't fallen for him sooner. But like Chloe had said, perhaps she had, but just hadn't realized it until the events of the past few days.

With Clark beside her, she had the strength to face anything. And right then, she felt like he was beside her. She could do this.

"It was about a girl. I was angry. I didn't mean to hurt him as badly as I did. But there's no excuse for my actions either way. What I did was wrong. It was a heat of the moment thing, and it shouldn't have happened. I'm willing to do anything you want me to to make up for it."

The principle paused, taken back by what she had said. "I'm disappointed in your actions, but I am impressed that you have taken responsibility for them and are willing to face the consequences. That shows great maturity. Mr. Sawyer isn't pressing charges, but I'm afraid I can't let you off without punishment. I'm giving you detention for the next three days." Lois nodded, and began to get up to leave. "Mr. Kent?"

"Yes?"

"I just want you to know that I am more impressed with you now than I was yesterday, before you got in trouble. Keep the same attitude you had today, and it will take you far in life. You may go now."

Lois left his office with a smile on her face. Perhaps she had more potential than she initially thought.

* * *

Clark stepped out of the shower, reached for where he had left the towel, and wrapped it around him. He checked to make sure it was secure, then opened his eyes and looked in the mirror. Much better. Gone was the hay and dirt that had accumulated during his chores. He smelled much better, too. He loved the shampoo she used. Lois really did smell amazing after a shower.

Clark shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. There was something really disturbing about getting turned on by looking at yourself in the mirror. Or smelling yourself, for that matter. He laughed, as a thought hit him. He had brought a whole new meaning to the phrase "self love". He shook his head. Yes, it was a little sad. And weird. Not to mention disturbing. But that was life. Or his life, anyway. He never thought he'd wake up one morning and find out he was a woman. That didn't happen to most people. Then, he'd never thought he would ever be attracted to Lois, either, but she had grown on him.

He looked in the mirror and checked his head for a bruise. There was none. He had bumped it while he was trying to take the shower. It was a lot harder than one would think to take a shower with your eyes closed the entire time. He had spent ten minutes before getting in memorizing where everything was, and yet he had still hit his head. At least he had found the shampoo and body wash. But then he had purposely put them on opposite sides of the shower. He hadn't wanted to get the two mixed up. Lois would have killed him if her hair fell out, and he didn't want to take the chance. Who knew what that body wash was capable of.

And now, for the tough part. Getting dressed. That was going to be an adventure. He figured he could manage most of it, but there were a few articles of clothing, and one piece in particular, that he knew was going to be a challenge to put on. Especially with his eyes closed. The things he did for Lois. She was worth all of it, but that didn't make in any easier. But then, if it was easy, it wouldn't have been a sacrifice, would it? And sacrifice was what a relationship was all about. A relationship that wouldn't happen if he couldn't muster up the courage to ask her out. But again, that was life. He had no trouble talking to the Dean of a major university, but he couldn't muster up the courage to ask a girl he liked out.

There was no need to dwell on that now. Thinking about it would only make him more nervous, and he wouldn't get the chance to ask her until much later anyway. Right now he had to focus on the task at hand. He looked down to the pair of fresh undergarments he had gotten from Lois' room earlier and then groaned. Focusing on the situation at hand wasn't much better.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

Clark sat in the waiting room of the Dean's office. His appointment was in ten minutes, and he should have been going over what he was going to say, but his thoughts kept drifting back to Lois. She had been so happy earlier, and then, all of a sudden, everything had changed. Shortly after he had finished getting dressed, Lois had gone from feeling very happy to feeling worried, fearful, and self-rejecting. She had pulled through it, but her happiness had never reset to its previous level, and the rest of the day she had felt tired and uneasy, with momentary segments of extreme motivation. She was fine, but whatever had happened had really gotten to her. Even with his reassurance that whatever it was, he would forgive her for it, she still felt uneasy. And it worried him. What had happened to get her so upset?

"Ms. Lane? The Dean is ready to see you now."

Clark stood up and followed the secretary to the door, then let himself in.

"Ah, Lois Lane. I was really surprised when I got your call. I really never expected to hear from you again. But you are persistent, I'll give you that. Here you are, after getting kicked out of this university twice, coming back for more. That is what this meeting is about, is it not? You want to get re-admitted."

"Yes, sir."

"Well, let me see what I can do about that. Let's see..." He shuffled through several pages of Lois' folder, then continued. "No high school diploma, a GPA of 2.7 in high school, four reports of underage drinking while on campus, six fights, one of which involved a police investigation, and...oh, this is interesting. One account of public nudity. Now you can see my reluctance to re-admit you to the university."

Clark took a moment to process the new information. He really hadn't thought it had been that bad. This was going to be a lot more difficult than he had initially thought. But this was for Lois. He had to try.

"Dr. Porter, I know I have had my fair share of incidents on the university. But I am a smart girl, and I know I can make it if you give me another chance. I may not have had the greatest GPA in high school, but you have to realize that I lived with a three-star general who didn't stay put for more than a few months at a time. It is hard to maintain a good GPA when you don't stay in the same place long enough to even finish a semester of school. I am fluent in seven languages and I have real-world experience that cannot be taught. But that doesn't mean anything in this day and age. I need a degree.

"Now I'm willing to do anything you deem necessary. As your little report will tell you, my SAT scores are excellent. GED tests will be administered in May. I'm scheduled to take it, and I'll pass it with flying colors, too. I know I can be a success at this university, and I am committed to making it work this time around. I've made a few mistakes this past year. But the mistakes of a single semester shouldn't have to hold me back from what I know I'm capable of. If I'm not mistaken, even you, Dr. Porter, failed your first semester of college. All I'm asking for is one more chance to prove that I can make something of myself. If you give up on every student that makes a mistake, your university is going to be pretty empty. Even you wouldn't be here if someone hadn't let you take your second semester of college."

The Dean pondered everything Clark had said for a few moments, then looked him straight in the eye. "Where should I mail your acceptance letter?"

* * *

The current issue of the Torch was coming along nicely. She had one more story to write, and then she had to put the final touches on the layout. If she could get just two uninterrupted hours, she could finish and actually go home on time for once.

Her cellphone rang, and she sighed. _Is two uninterrupted hours too much to ask for?_ She checked the caller ID. Clark. She always had time for him. "Hi Clark. What's up?"

"I need some advice."

"Okay. What's on your mind?"

"I'm thinking about asking Lois out."

Chloe's mouth dropped, and her phone fell from her hand to the floor. She cursed quietly, then got out of her chair to search for her phone. Typical. It was under the table, just out of reach. She looked around the room for something long enough to reach it, grabbed a ruler from her desk, and leaned back down to retrieve the phone.

"Chloe, are you still there?"

"Yes, sorry. I dropped my phone. Now you're thinking about doing what?"

"Asking Lois out. I really like her, and I'd like to start getting to know her better. I know this whole body switch thing is going to complicate things, but I don't want to waste any time. I want to start getting to know her now."

It took Chloe a moment to process the information. Clark liked Lois. Wow! This was...big. It gave a whole lot more credence to Lois' theory about the two of them. She had always known the two had a connection, but she had always thought it would take Clark longer to come around. The guy couldn't seem to see past one Lana Lang. Yet somehow Lois had managed to crack through that barrier. And he was thinking about asking her out, even in their current condition. He must _really_ like her.

"Are you okay with that, Chloe?"

She could hear the concern in his voice. Or rather, Lois' voice. She still hadn't gotten used to the whole situation yet. "Yes, I'm fine. I'm over you. This is just really...sudden. How long have you known that you have liked her?"

"I don't know. A couple of hours. Since eleven this morning."

Her eyes widened. Was she really talking to Clark Kent? Had Lois switched back without letting her know about it, and was now playing a practical joke on her? Clark didn't ask girls that he liked out. First he made himself miserable, pawing over them for months, and then when he couldn't take it anymore, he'd ask, and usually at the worst possible moment.

"How?"

"How did I find out, you mean?" She nodded, her thoughts still not clear enough to realize that Clark wouldn't see it. "It was my mom, actually. Her, and this dream I had this morning. It kind of opened my eyes to what we might be able to have someday. And I want to find out if we can really be that good together."

Clark had a dream. About Lois, and their life together. Her eyes widened even further. "What exactly was this dream about?"

"Well, we were married. I think we both worked at the Talon together. But we were really in love, and happy. I woke her up, and we ate breakfast together. But she accepted me for who I am, just like I know she does now.

"The whole marriage thing is a bit to much to think about right now. But I do think we could be great together. I just don't know if I have a chance with her. She's never really liked me very much. I think that might have changed recently, but I don't want me liking her to ruin our friendship if she doesn't feel the same way. So I'm not sure what to do. I don't want you to tell me how she feels about me. I'd like to find that out by myself. I just would like to know that asking her out won't ruin our friendship."

Chloe still couldn't get passed the fact that Lois and Clark had had the same dream. Their connection was insane already. But now they were sharing dreams? She wondered which mind the dream had come from. Had it been Lois' dream, and Clark had sat in on it? Or Visa Versa? Or had it been a joint effort? There likely wasn't any way to find out. Still, it did make her wonder.

Her thoughts turned to Clark's current dilemma. She really didn't know what she should tell him. Lois wasn't going to say no. Or if she did, it would be because she wanted to wait until their current situation was reversed. And she didn't think Lois would even say no to that, since getting the situation reversed kind of depended on the two of them getting closer. Although that wasn't really how Lois thought about it. She didn't see getting close to Clark as a way to get them switched back. She saw the fact that the switch would be reversed as they got closer as reassurance that they really did have a chance. Regardless, she was almost positive Lois would not say no. But she couldn't tell Clark that. He didn't want to know how she felt.

What would Lois do about a guy she didn't like that liked her? It had happened before, and a restraining order had been issued at least one time. But that wasn't what Clark needed to hear either. No, Lois was a case by case person. Chloe needed to consider how she would react to Clark's confession if she didn't feel the way she did about him.

"I don't think it will, Clark. You know Lois. She's a very caring person, and you are one of her few close friends. As long as you promised not to push for anything in the event that she said no, I think she would still want your friendship. But their's no way to know that for sure. Part of what makes a relationship so scary is that you have to put yourself out there. You've got to take risks.

"So, Clark, if you really would like to go out with her, I think you need to ask her. Not taking the chance has never gotten anyone anywhere."

"Thank you, Chloe. I can always count on you to tell me what I need to hear. I'm thinking about asking her tonight after diner."

"That sounds like a great idea. If you need any help with the details, just let me know, okay?"

"Sure thing. Uh...you wouldn't happen to be busy right now, would you?"

Chloe looked at the progress she had made on her story since his phone call. One sentence. "Why?"

"Well, we still need to have that talk, and I'm free right now."

"That talk? Oh. _That_ talk. Are you sure you want to have that conversation over the phone?"

"The sooner the better. I'm going to have to meet with you later so you can show me some specifics, but you can get all the major stuff out of the way over the phone, right?"

"I think so. Are you really sure you want to have this conversation, though?"

"Not really, no. But I need to have it. I can't just let Lois' body go to hell while I'm in it. I can't do that to her. So yes, we need to have this conversation."

"Okay, Clark." She shook her head. This was going to be a really interesting conversation. Now where to begin?

* * *

Lois sighed. It had been a long day, and she just wanted to get home and see Clark. But could she? No. She was stuck in detention. The day had started well, what with her dream, her sudden epiphany, her talk with Chloe, and, upon arriving at school, first period being canceled due to a teacher being ill. She had used the free time to try and track down Joseph Willowbrook, but she hadn't been able to find him. He was the only one that had access to the book of prophecies concerning Naman, and she could not begin her research without that book. She had eventually tracked down one of the Kawachi people who knew where he was, but the girl wouldn't tell her. She had told her that he was on a "quest" that could not be interrupted, and he hadn't told her when he would be back.

After that, she had gone back to the school to catch second period, only to get into a fight with that Sawyer kid, which was responsible for her current situation. And it hadn't gotten much better after that. She somehow managed to get in trouble with every single teacher in every single one of her classes. Most of them were not even her fault, but then not much had been going her way either. She knew she wouldn't have made it through the day if not for Clark's random moments of emotional support. After he had helped her in the principles office, he had continued to offer his support whenever it seemed like she was about to lose it. She felt his presence and strength at the moments in the day that she needed them the most. And she was extremely grateful for it. But she still wanted to see him. Standing next to him and feeling his support from a distance were two completely different things.

The timer on the desk rang out loudly, signaling the end of her detention. Finally! She got up and headed for the nearest unoccupied corner of the school, which by this time of day was nearly anywhere. Still, she chose her location carefully and patiently, checking for any signs of life with both her X-Ray vision and her enhanced hearing before zooming off to the farm. About half way home, she considered flying the rest of the way, but thought better of it. The skill was still far to unpredictable. She could end up falling out of the sky and causing a crater a mile wide.

As she began to close in on the farm, Lois laughed. She still couldn't believe what triggered flight. All she had to do was "think happy thoughts". It was so typical. She couldn't believe Clark hadn't figured it out on his own. But then he did a lot of brooding, and certainly wasn't the happiest person on the planet. She supposed it was hard for him to think happy thoughts, with everything he had put on his shoulders. But it wasn't hard for her. Just thinking about the fact that her and Clark had a chance brought her enough happy thoughts to send her to the moon. Thankfully, she had practiced flying with Chloe before they had left for school. It wouldn't do for her to take off into the sky as soon as she arrived home and saw Clark. No, that wouldn't do at all.

She slowed down and came to a halt at her normal place, a set of trees about a five minute walk from the farm that blocked out any potential outside viewers. She was really intent on not taking any more chances with Clark's abilities. She wouldn't be able to live with herself if she exposed him.

Five minutes later, she entered the barn and found Clark pacing back and forth. He was nervous. Really nervous.

"Hi Clark."

"Lois! You're home. Chloe called and told me what happened. I'm sorry about the whole detention thing."

Was he actually apologizing? She had been the one to mess up, and he had the right to be a little angry, but her he was apologizing to her. He never ceased to surprise her.

"You don't have anything to apologize for. It wasn't your fault." She paused for a moment. He was still extremely nervous, and it was getting worse by the minute. "Okay, spill it. What's wrong, Smallville?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean your stomach feels like it has become the summer migrating place for butterflies world wide, and they've flown north early. Now what is bothering you?"

"Well, I...uh...wanted to ask you something."

She looked at him expectantly, waiting for his question. But he didn't respond right away. It seemed he was trying to muster up the courage to speak. What could he possibly have to ask her that would make him so nervous. Unless...Suddenly, half of Clark's butterflies flew into her own stomach. Was he really about to ask her out? Happiness began to flood in, drowning all of the butterflies. And such a terrible way to die, too.

Her happiness continued to grow, and she knew that if she didn't get a handle on her emotions soon, she really was going to end up on the moon. _Stay earthbound. Don't fly. Don't fly. You can do this, Lois. Stay on the ground. Air bad. Ground good. That's it._ She opened her eyes and focused on Clark. His emotions had changed drastically. Gone was the nervousness, and in it's place was confusion, fear, and...repressed love. What had just happened?

"Lana," Clark said, looking behind her, his eyes wide in a bit of shock.

It clicked. A tear rolled down her face, and her heart began to break. Again. Of course she didn't have a chance with Clark. He was still in love with Lana. He would always still be in love with Lana. She couldn't take this. It was too much. To have her hopes raised to such a level, only to come crashing down again had taken its toll on her. Her mind began to shut down, a defense mechanism to take away the pain that was starting to swell up inside her. Darkness took her, and she fell to the ground, out cold.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

"Lana, go get the Kent's, now," Clark ordered in a worried voice. He ran to Lois' side and tried to wake her as Lana started to run to the house. He didn't understand what had happened. One second she had been fine, and now she was out cold. She was still breathing, thank God, but her heartbeat had slowed down considerably. Tears started to flow down his face. He didn't know what to do. There was nothing he could do. He now understood how his parents felt every time he had come close to death. Completely helpless.

There was something wrong with her, and there was nothing he could do about it. It had to be something serious, too. Normal illnesses didn't affect him. He had felt her pain before passing out, which had surprised him. He had never felt her physical pain before, only her emotions. Her pain had been intense. Was it Kryptonite? Did Lana have Kryptonite on her? That didn't make much sense, but it was the only thing that he could think of at the moment. Still, she had left, and Lois wasn't getting any better. It didn't usually take him this long to recover. This had to be something else.

He realized that Lana and his parents would be returning soon. He stood up, wiped the tears from his eyes, and attempted to compose himself. Whatever had happened to Lois, it was likely due to his abilities in some way, so he had to cover for himself with Lana.

When Lana returned with his parents, he took her aside to talk to her. "Lana, thanks for getting the Kent's. I need their help to get Clark inside. He's been sick off and on all day. He'll be alright, though. Can you come back later?"

"Isn't there anything I can do to help?"

"No, there isn't. I'll call you when he improves, if you want. I really don't want anyone else to get exposed to what he has, whatever it is."

"I understand. Um...could you tell Clark something for me?"

"Sure."

"Tell him that I want to talk about us. I'd like a second chance. I love him, and I am willing to put the past behind us and give this a second try. Can you tell him that for me?"

Lana loved him? and wanted to be with him? What about Jason? Had he missed something? It had to be over with them, if she wanted to be with him. But when? How long had their relationship been over? He supposed it didn't really matter, though. The important thing was that it was over, and that she wanted to give it another try.

"Uh, Lois?"

He cleared his thoughts, then looked at Lana. "Yes, I'll tell him."

"Thank you. Have him call me when he is feeling better?"

"Sure."

Lana turned around and headed towards her car, and Clark sighed. Things had suddenly become infinitely more complicated.

* * *

Lois awoke to the feeling of a soft mattress below her and warm blankets around her. She was still quite disoriented, unsure of where she was or how she had gotten there. The only thing she was sure of at the moment was that a warm hand was in hers, and that the warm hand was Clark's. Clark was with her, therefore no matter what else had been going on, everything was alright. She relaxed, and began to hone in on his heartbeat, finding comfort from it. And then she remembered everything.

She quickly withdrew her hand from Clark's, and then instantly regretted it. It only made the pain inside of her worse, not better. She reached back for it again, but it was gone. Turning her head, she saw Clark kneeling beside her bed, a concerned look in his eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Was she okay? No, she wasn't. Despite the fact that Clark was sitting there with her, he really wasn't _with _her. His heart was with someone else, and it would always be with that someone. She had never had a chance with him. Lana was a very lucky woman. If only she realized it.

A memory struck her then. A conversation between Lana and herself. No, not herself. Lana and Clark. It must have taken place while she was unconscious, yet somehow it had been recorded in her mind anyway. The girl did realize what she had, and she was going for it.

Her pain began to increase. She was going to lose Clark. His hand slipped into hers, and her pain lessoned. She needed him. She had never needed anyone in her entire life. But she needed Clark Kent. Even if they couldn't have a deeper relationship, she still needed him like this. As friends. She wouldn't be able to handle losing his friendship. It would kill her, she knew.

"Will we always be friends?"

"What?"

"Can you promise me that no matter what happens, we will always be friends?"

"Of course, Lois. Nothing could ever come between our friendship. As long as you still want to be my friend, I will be yours. I'll always be here when you need me, no matter what."

Relief filled her, and her pain slowly began to fade away. She could handle this. She wanted something deeper with Clark, desperately, but she could handle just being friends. Tears started to fill her eyes, and she looked Clark in the eyes and told him, "Thank you. That means more than you'll ever know."

"Are you okay?"

Was she okay? She would be. She loved Clark more than she had ever loved anyone in her life. If being with Lana would make him happy, then she wanted him to be with Lana. Her friendship with him was secure, and that was all she really needed from him. She wanted more, but she realized that it was just not meant to be. Her and Clark would never be an item. She had to accept that, and go on with her life.

"I'll be fine."

"What happened? You've been in so much pain. I thought it might have been Kryptonite, but there wasn't any around."

"No, this wasn't anything physical. Can you not push it? I really don't want to talk about it right now."

"Okay. But you are alright now, right?"

"Yes. I've dealt with it. I'll be fine now."

"Okay. I'll let you rest," he said, and he began to get up.

But Lois did not want to rest. She wasn't ready to let Clark out of her sight. She knew she had to let him go, but she needed time to do that. She wanted to spend the evening with him, perhaps as a tribute to what they might have had. "No, I'll be fine. I really don't need to rest," she said as she began to get up from the bed.

He returned to the bed and stopped her. "No. You are going to rest. No arguing. Understand?"

She nodded, and he got up to leave. "Smallville?"

"Yes?"

"Can you stay with me? Just by the bed, this time. It's easier when you're here."

"Sure, Lois. I'll stay as long as you like." He returned to his place at her bedside, and took her hand once again. Lois closed her eyes and relaxed. She really was tired. A few moments later, her mind drifted off to the land of dreams.

* * *

Martha woke early, just as the sun was about to rise. She got up, got dressed, and left the room. Jonathan had already gotten up, likely a few hours before. He was always up before she was. She stopped at Clark's room to check on Lois. She was sleeping peacefully, and Clark was asleep beside her bed. She smiled at the two of them. Their relationship really was special. They cared for each other likely more than either of them would admit, and it was moments like this that really showed it.

She closed the door softly, and went downstairs to begin making breakfast. Jonathan would be in soon, and Clark would likely be up soon as well. She turned on the coffee pot and began gathering the ingredients for pancakes, all the while thinking about Lois. She really hoped she would be alright. She seemed to be sleeping well. That was a good sign. But she was still a little worried. The way Clark had described her pain, it had been something big. But they would handle it the way they always did: as a family.

She smiled at that. Lois really was becoming part of the family. She truly hoped that one day she truly would become part of the family, legally. She would love to have Lois as her daughter-in-law, and she knew how great she would be for Clark. But that was a long way down the road. Both of them had a lot of growing to do, both as individuals and towards each other, before they would be ready for a decision of that magnitude.

"Hi mom."

Martha turned around and looked at Lois. Or, rather, her son. It was going to take a while to get used to the body switch. She did hope that it would reverse soon.

"Good morning, Clark. How is Lois doing?"

"She's going to be fine."

"Did you find out what happened to her?"

"Sort of. It wasn't anything physical. Whatever was bothering her a few days ago came back in full force last night, and she passed out because the emotional pain was too much. I've never seen her this vulnerable before, but I can't do anything, because she doesn't want to tell me what is going on."

"You just need to be patient, Clark. She'll tell you when she is ready."

"I know. It's just so hard to see her in so much pain. It hurts to see her hurting. Being near her helps her for some reason, so I know if she let me in I could help her. But it is personal, and I don't want to push her."

She smiled at him. He still had no clue how much Lois cared about him. She had seen the look Lois gave Clark every time she saw him before. The girl was in love with her son.

"Mom, I need some advice."

"Sure, honey. What is it?"

"It's about Lois...and Lana. Lana asked me to tell 'Clark' something when he got better. She asked me to tell him that she loved him and wanted a second chance with him. She wants to try our relationship again."

Martha's eyes grew very wide. Poor Lois. No wonder she had collapsed the night before. She must be heartbroken.

"But you are with Lois now, and you don't know what to do," she said, finishing his thought.

"No, that's just it. I'm not with Lois. I didn't get the chance to ask her out last night. And now Lana wants to be with me again. I love Lana. She's all I've dreamed about for years. I've been waiting for her to tell me those three words for a long time. And now she has, and I should be thrilled. It's just that every single time we've tried something, it has ended very badly. I don't want to do that to Lana again.

"And then there is Lois. I really really like her. But I have no idea if she feels the same way. If she does, I really believe we could be great together, and I'm interested to find out. But if she doesn't, then Lana would become a rebound, and I don't want to do that either. And I don't know what to do."

She thought about his words for a few moments. He really had a tough decision before him. Choose to be with Lana now, which would be the safe thing to do, or take a risk with Lois and risk losing both of them.

"Clark, honey, there is no way you can know what the future holds. This time could be different, and you and Lana could work out well. And you could start dating Lois, and realize later on that it just isn't going to work out. You have no way to know what the future holds, and there is nothing you can do to control that. You cannot make decisions based on what might happen."

"So what do I do?"

"Who do you want to be with?"

"I don't know."

"That is what you need to figure out, Clark. Search your heart, and make a decision. Choose either Lana or Lois, and leave the other one in the past. You can't hold on to hope that it might work out with one of them while you are seeing the other. That is a really easy way to lose them both, and it isn't fair to either of them. Find out who you want to be with, and devote your whole attention to her, with no thoughts of the other."

Martha paused to allow Clark to think about what she had said. After several moments, he nodded his head and looked up at her. "You're right. I just don't know who I want to be with."

"You don't have to decide anything today. In fact, you should think about it for a while. Don't rush this decision. Spend some time thinking about it, and once you've made your decision, come clean with both Lois and Lana."

Clark nodded again, then looked at her in worry. "Um, Lana sort of wants me to call her when I'm feeling better, or when Lois is feeling better. That really doesn't give me much time to think about this. Once Lois is up and around again, if she doesn't call, then Lana is likely to show up and dump this on her."

Martha thought about that. He was right. She smiled as an idea came to her. "Well, I'm sure Lois isn't eager to return to school. She could always 'stay sick' for a couple of days. That would give you some time to think."

Clark nodded. "That might actually work." He paused for a moment, clearly thinking. "Do you have some coffee ready, mom? I need to go say goodbye to Lois."

"Goodbye?"

"I think I need to get away from both her and Lana in order to think objectively and figure out what I really want. I was thinking about going to visit Pete in Wichita."

"That sounds like a great idea, Clark. You and Pete need to catch up anyway. He'll be in for a shock when you show up like you do, though."

Clark laughed. "Yeah, I suppose he will."

"There's a fresh pot of coffee heating up now on the counter. I'll pack you a lunch, and then call Pete to let him know you are coming. Now go talk to Lois."

"Thank you, mom. You're the best." And with that, he grabbed a mug, filled it with coffee, and headed on up to his room. Martha smiled at him. He truly was growing up.


	16. Chapter 16

**Chapter Sixteen**

Lois drifted to consciousness, aware of a presence beside her. Her immediate reaction was to panic, but then she realized that the presence was Clark. He was allowed to lay down beside her whenever he wanted to, as far as she was concerned. The smell of coffee assaulted her nostrils. Was she dreaming again?

"Good morning, Lois. How are you feeling?"

No. Definitely not a dream. She wouldn't have heard herself talking in a dream. She opened her eyes and looked up into the face of a slightly concerned yet smiling Clark Kent. At least what passed for Clark Kent these days.

Lois accepted the coffee mug from Clark, and took a few sips before responding. "I slept great. You were right. I did need some sleep. The last couple of days have been really tiring."

"Really? I rarely got tired, and only needed a few hours of sleep when I was in my body."

"Not physically tiring, obviously. I guess it is a psychological thing. My mind has been on overdrive the past couple of days." She paused, as a thought hit her. "I wonder how this body switch thing worked. Did our brains switch heads? I still seem to need coffee, I need sleep as often as I normally did, and my mind works as fast as it usually did. I can't multiply six digit numbers in my head like you can. You know, it really doesn't make any sense, if you think about it."

"No, I suppose it doesn't." There was a slight pause in the conversation, as each of them thought about what had been said. The pause turned a bit awkward, and Clark thankfully broke the silence. "So are you doing better? I mean with whatever has been bothering you the past few days."

Lois thought about that. Yes, she was. Much better, in fact. Somehow the night of sleep had established her earlier perspective solidly. Clark would never be with her, and that was okay. She would still be thrilled if it ever happened, but she knew it wouldn't and was okay with it. She wanted Clark to be happy, and while she knew she could make him happy, if he wanted to be with Lana, then she would not stand in the way.

She still didn't know the girl very well, but she did know that Lana was very sweet. She could see the two of them becoming good friends. Her relationship with Clark hadn't always been good for him, from what she had seen and heard from others, but a bad past did not always equate to a bad future. If Lana accepted that there were things about Clark that she would just not understand, and that he would tell her when he was ready to tell her, and if Clark stopped lying to her and just let the unexplained remain unexplained, then their relationship could work.

"Yes, Smallville. I'm doing much better."

"I'm glad. It hurts to see you in so much pain. I'll always be here to talk about it, or anything else, if you need to unload. You know that, right?"

She smiled. He was such a great guy. "Yes. I know."

He nodded, accepting that he now wasn't one of those times. "Will you be okay by yourself for a few days?"

"What? Why?"

"I've got a lot to think about, and some tough decisions to make, and I need to take a few days to get away from the familiar to think about it clearly. I'm going to visit my friend Pete for a few days."

"Pete? Isn't he the one that found your spaceship?"

"Yes. He's used to the strange and bizarre. It'll be a shock when I show up as I am, but this kind of stuff used to happen all the time when he lived here, and I've got enough dirt on him to convince anyone.

"So will you be okay while I'm gone?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. I'll miss you, but I'll be fine. How long will you be gone?"

"I don't know. A few days. Until I get sorted through everything."

She understood. He needed to think about what to do about Lana. He had finally gotten some perspective on life, and wanted to find himself before worrying about a relationship, but Lana wanted a second chance today, and he had been waiting for that chance for quite a while.

"Are you sure you will be okay?"

"YES, Smallville. I'll be fine. Really."

"Alright. But if you need me, don't hesitate to drop by. I would come to you, but you can get to me a bit faster than I can get to you. So if you need to talk, just stop by. Okay?"

He wasn't going to let this go, was he? Part off her was glad he wanted to make sure she was going to be fine without him. It touched her that he cared so much. But the other part of her was getting frustrated with him. She wasn't weak. She knew he didn't think that, but it still felt like he was implying it.

"Smallville, I managed to survive nineteen years without you. I think I can handle a few days. But if I do end up needing you, I will come."

"That's good. There is something else I need you to do for me while I'm gone, though."

"Anything, Clark."

"I need you to pretend to be sick while I'm gone."

She hadn't seen that coming. It made sense, though. Lana would want to talk to him, and she was in his body. But if she was sick, then Lana would wait for improvement before pushing anything. "Yes, I'll do it. Do you need me to stay in bed the whole time, or just when there is someone around?"

"No, roam around the farm as much as you want. I really hate to ask you to do this, but Lana sort of thinks I'm sick, and she wants me to call her when I get better. And I'm just not ready to talk to her yet."

"Sure, Clark. I understand. I'd like to get some more practice working on the farm anyway."

"Wait, you want to do work on the farm?" Clark looked at her doubtfully.

"Yes. I'm embracing everything that is Clark Kent. Give me a role, and I dive right in. Speaking of which, I noticed that you took a shower yesterday without me having to ask you to. It seems like you are enjoying yourself, too." She winked at him, and his eyes grew to the size of walnuts.

"Hey, I didn't see anything. My eyes were closed the whole time. I wouldn't disrespect you like that. We're not even dating yet. I promise, I didn't see-" Lois put her hand over his mouth, stopping his blabbering.

"It's fine, Smallville. Really. I really admire you for your self control, and for your thoughtfulness, but it would be okay if you had seen something. The current situation kind of demands it. You don't have to be embarrassed about it."

Clark looked her in the eye. "Lois, I'm not embarrassed about this. I'm just not going to take advantage of the situation like that. I respect you too much. I should see..uh..this," he said, motioning to his upper body, "on your terms, not mine."

She couldn't believe there was still a man out there that noble. The Kent's had really done an amazing job raising him. He was the purest and most noble man she had ever met. And she meant that in the best light possible. She hoped there was another man out there as noble as he was, but she highly doubted it. Clark Kent was one of a kind.

"Thank you, Clark. Just do whatever is comfortable to you. Uh, when will you be leaving?"

"Well, mom is packing my lunch right now. It is a six hour drive to Wichita. I need to get started ASAP. I'm going to eat breakfast and then head out. Interested in joining me?"

"Sure thing. I'll be right down." He nodded, got off the bed, and left the room. The déjà vu was starting to get to Lois. It wasn't exactly like her dream, but it was getting close. Coffee in the morning, breakfast, Clark leaving right after. It was close. About as close as she was ever going to come to a dream like that.

A thought hit her as she recalled what he had said earlier. _We're not even dating yet_. Yet? Had he thought about her that way? She dismissed the idea immediately. There was no reason to get her hopes up yet again. Clark Kent would never feel that way about her, and that was final. She got out of bed, changed quickly, and headed downstairs to share her last meal with Clark for a while. She planned on enjoying ever minute of it.

* * *

"Pass the syrup, please."

Clark reached to his right, grabbed the syrup, and placed it next to Lois, who was seated next to him, on his left. He couldn't help but notice that their positions at the table were identical to those in his dream. _Do we always sit like this_? He wasn't sure. It felt natural, so perhaps they did.

"Thanks, Smallville. You're a lifesaver."

"A lifesaver, huh?"

"Yes. Without this syrup," she said as she began to poor it over her pancakes, "I would have choked on my pancakes and died." She turned to Mrs. Kent. "Not that your pancakes aren't delicious, Mrs. Kent. Pancakes just demand syrup."

"What class did you learn this in, Lois?"

"Common Sense 101. You should take it. You'd learn a lot."

Clark laughed. "I think I will. You might need to re-take it, though."

"What? I got an A in it."

"Are you sure? Did you skip the day when they went over how much syrup is appropriate for two pancakes?"

Lois looked down at her plate and gasped in surprise. The plate was filled to the rim with syrup, and some of it was spilling down the sides. She had held the syrup upturned during their entire conversation. Clark laughed at her, then got up to get a few paper towels. He returned and began to help her clean up her "little" mess.

"Speaking of school, are you thinking of going back this fall?" Having cleaned up all of the syrup on the table, he got up again and dropped the paper towels in the trash can, then turned around to listen to her response.

"Why? So I can take Common Sense 101 again?" she said with a smirk.

"No, I'm serious. I think you should go back to school." He returned to his seat, then put his right elbow on the table and leaned his head against it to get a better view of her.

"Well thanks for the encouragement, but I don't think I have much of a choice in the matter. I got kicked out of Met-U twice, and I don't think any school is going to take me after that."

"But if you could get back in, would you go?"

"Of course I would. I like living with you and your parents, but I really don't want to depend on your generosity for the rest of my life. And your not going to believe me when I say this, but there's a lot I'd like to learn, too."

His left hand slipped into hers, and he looked at her with love. "Lois, you are welcome here for as long as you want to stay. And as far as wanting to learn, I believe you. There are a lot of things I'm interested in learning, too."

She nodded, grateful for his words. "I just wish I had another chance. I know I could do better this time. I can be motivated when I want to be, and I really want to do well. But that's not going to happen. Leave it to Lois to screw up everything she has going for her."

"So you've made some bad choices and had life throw you some tough times. That doesn't mean you are worthless. And having an attitude like that will only set you up for failure later on."

Lois looked at him in surprise. "Since when did you become an oracle of wisdom, Smallville?"

Clark laughed. "Since you came into my life and taught it to me." Then his countenance took on a more serious appearance. She needed to push through these insecurities. "Now I want you to promise me that you are going to stop thinking that you will mess up everything good in your life."

"Smallville, I-"

"Promise me!" he said, echoing her earlier words to him in the cave.

"Fine! I promise."

"Now say it."

"Say what?"

"'I will not mess up everything good in my life. I will be a success.'"

"I will not mess up everything good in my life. I will be a success."

Clark smiled at her, and he could see her hiding a smile in return. "Good. Now apply that positive outlook to your next semester of school."

"But Smallville, I just told you that I got kicked out. What part of that did you not understand?"

"The part about you not being able to get back in."

"I seriously doubt they are going to let me back in after the mess I made of things."

"You're in."

"What?"

"As of yesterday at about three thirty in the afternoon, you have been re-admitted to Met-U."

Clark could feel the surprise and excitement in her. "But...that's...uh...how?"

"I drove up there yesterday and met with the Dean. We had a little talk, and I convinced him to give you another chance. So all you need to do is pass the GED test in two months, which I've already signed you up for, and you will be in for next fall."

A wide range of emotions began to flood through Lois at that point. Thankfulness, excitement, surprise, pure and unadulterated joy. Clark watched as she squealed in delight, then jumped out of her seat and in to his lap, hugging him. A large smile spread across his face. Lois leaned in and kissed him, and the smile disappeared, replaced by a look of utter surprise.

Wow. That was the only reaction his mind could process. Just 'wow', over and over. If that was how it felt when she kissed him while in his body, he couldn't imagine how it would feel to have her kiss him when they were themselves again. He wondered if the earth would explode if such a thing happened.

Lois noticed the awkwardness of the situation, and quickly got off of him. "So, uh, do you want me to help you pack?"

"Pack?" He didn't have a clue what she was talking about. Why would he need to pack?

"For your trip to Pete's. If you're going to be staying for a few days, you are going to need to pack some things."

Oh. Pete's. Right. Why was he going to Pete's again? Oh yes. He had to figure out who he wanted to be with, Lois, or...some other girl. For some reason, he couldn't remember her name at the moment. Who was this other girl? He vaguely recalled long, dark hair. And a little bit of a face. Yes, she was pretty. Why couldn't he remember her name?

"Clark?"

"Huh?"

"Well? Do you want help or not?"

"Oh. Right. Sure, you can help me pack. Don't you think we should finish breakfast first?"

"Oh. I had forgotten about breakfast. Weird. Sure, let's finish breakfast, then I'll go help you pack."

The two of them sat down once again, and both dived right in. Pancakes, however, were not what was occupying Clark's mind. His thoughts were directed somewhere else entirely, towards a certain usually female person a few inches from him.


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen**

"I'm only going to be gone a few days, Lois. Do you really think I need this many clothes?"

Lois looked over everything she had picked out. Eight blouses, tops, and tees (combined), four pairs of jeans, three jackets, ten pairs of shoes, and several changes of lingerie. No. It seemed pretty reasonable to her. It was less than she usually packed.

"I just want you to be prepared, Smallville. You never know when you will need a certain outfit. You can never pack to many clothes."

"Lois, I'm not good with clothes. I had to have my mother pick out something for me to wear yesterday to the Dean's office, and she had help me with my hair, too. There is no way that I'm going to wear all of these."

Lois looked at him oddly. "Of course you won't wear all of them. That isn't the point. The point is that you may need all of these."

Clark sighed in resignation. "Well, is this all I'll need? As far as clothing is concerned?"

"Yes, this should do fine. So what's next?"

"I think this is it." Lois watched as Clark went through everything again. "Oh! I almost forgot your shampoo."

Lois looked over the set of personal effects again. "Smallville, I already packed shampoo."

"I meant the shampoo you keep in the shower." Lois simply stared at him. "What? I like that shampoo. It smells really nice."

She happened to like that shampoo, too. But that wasn't the point. The point was that Clark liked it. She just had to give him a hard time about it.

"I know that look."

Lois looked at him innocently. "What look?"

"You're planning on giving me a hard time about this, aren't you?"

"Who me? Now why would I do a thing like that..." Clark just shook his head. She was busted. "Okay, so what if I was? It is a little strange for a guy to like a certain type of shampoo, after all."

"Well, in case you haven't noticed, I'm not exactly a guy anymore. And just for the record: men do happen to like certain women's shampoo better than others. On women, that is."

"Point conceded."

Clark nodded, left her for a moment, then returned a few seconds later with her shampoo. He placed it with the rest of her personal effects, then zipped up the rather large duffel bag and lifted it up onto his shoulder effortlessly. _How does he do that? _she wondered. He always radiated strength, even when he was in her body. It simply amazed her. No wonder she was so much stronger with him around.

"So I guess this is it, huh?"

"Yes, I suppose it is. Here, let me walk you to the car." The two of them left their room together, went down the stairs, and went out the front door towards her car.

As they were walking to the car, Lois' thoughts drifted off to her stolen kiss. She couldn't believe she had kissed him, and she really wished she hadn't. It had been the most incredible moment of her entire life, yes, but that was what worried her. At least if she hadn't kissed him she wouldn't have known what she was going to miss out on. As she thought about it, she realized she probably still didn't know what she was going to lose. They hadn't kissed in their own bodies, after all. For once, she was thankful for their current predicament. A normal kiss, even though any kiss with Clark Kent could never be described as normal, would haunt her for the rest of her life. She was pretty sure this one would, too.

Clark popped the trunk, dropped his bag inside it, and walked around the car to the driver's side door. "I guess this is goodbye."

Goodbye. Yes, this really was goodbye. When he came back, he would be gone forever. He would be Lana's. This was goodbye. She was saying goodbye to everything that they might have had.

"Goodbye, Clark." _I love you, and I always will._

Clark smiled at her, took her hand and gave it a quick squeeze, then got in the car and drove off. A single tear fell from her face as she let go of the man of her dreams once and for all.

* * *

Chloe pulled into the Kent farm, passing Lois' car on her way in, and noticing her body in the driver's seat. _Where is Clark going?_ It didn't make much sense. If Lois was sick, shouldn't he be with her? She pulled the rest of the way into the farm, and noticed Lois standing in the middle of the driveway. What was she doing out of bed? With the way Lana had described her condition when she called her the night before, she would have thought Lois was dying. Yet here she was standing outside early in the morning. 

She stopped the car and got out, rushing over to Lois. She really did look ill. "Lois, what are you doing out of bed? You should be resting."

"Huh?"

"You're sick. You should be in bed."

"Oh. I'm only pretending to be sick."

Chloe looked at her squarely. Was she serious? "You look fairly ill to me. Now come on, let's get you to bed."

"Okay," Lois said, still in a daze. Chloe took her hand and led her to the house, and then to her room. Lois followed, although she was clearly not comprehending what was happening.

Upon opening the door, Chloe noticed the clothes that were spread around the room. "What happened to your room?" she asked, as she led Lois to the bed.

Lois lied down, and responded simply, "Clark."

"Clark did this? Did you two have a fight?"

"He left."

What had Clark done to Lois? She was in complete shock, like she couldn't accept reality. "Lois, what happened?"

"He loves her."

Was she talking about herself? No, she wouldn't be in so much shock if that were the case. Lana. It had to be Lana. Something else must have happened the night before that Lana hadn't mentioned in her phone call. Was that where he was headed? Was he going over to Lana's? That didn't make any sense. He couldn't go over there in his current condition.

"Where did Clark go?"

Lois sniffled. Then sobbed. "He's gone. I've...lost him." Her crying continue, and Chloe realized she wasn't going to get anything else out of her. She climbed into bed with her, and held her. It was really awkward at first, holding what her mind told her was Clark. But her heart told her otherwise. It was Lois, and she needed her.

She was going to kill Clark. How could he have done this to her cousin? How could he leave her like this? Didn't he realize how much she cared for him? Had he left Lois after asking her out? for Lana? She hadn't even known he was capable of such a thing. Did he really care for her so little, that he would just throw her aside like that? How could he play with her heart like that? It was wrong. He had hurt Lois. And Chloe didn't think she could ever forgive him for it. Lois was the one person she cared for more than Clark. And no one did this to her, not even Clark. No one was allowed to treat her like this. No one.

Chloe just held her and let her cry. It was the only thing she could do. She would give Clark a piece of her mind later. Right now, she was going to be there for Lois. It really should have been Clark next to her, comforting her. But he didn't deserver her. Not after what he had done.

Abruptly, Lois' crying stopped, and her eyes filled with fear. "Something's wrong."

"What is it?"

"Clark. He's in trouble. I have to go." She released herself from Chloe's embrace, and began to get off the bed.

"Lois, wait." But it was to late. She was already gone.

* * *

Lois tuned in to Clark's heartbeat, allowing it to guide her. It was fading. And the connection they shared was fading with it. Her heartbeat was beating a mile a minute, while his was getting weaker by the moment. She was panicking, and he was dying. She knew it. She had to move faster. But the ground was getting in her way. Her feet left it, and she began to fly towards the sound of his heartbeat, shredding grass, trees, and anything else that was near her with the speed of her movement.

In the distance, she saw it. Her car, overturned along the side of the road. Clark was lying limp beside it. She noticed a black limo leaving the scene, but she didn't care. It didn't matter who saw her. Clark was in trouble. Getting to him was all that mattered.

She reached Clark, and slowed down enough so that her speed wouldn't hurt him worse. He looked really bad. She did a quick x-ray of his body. There were no broken bones, but there was blood everywhere. He had lost a lot of it. If she didn't do something soon, he was going to die. There was no doubt about that.

Lois gently lifted him into her arms, shielded him with her body, and took off towards the hospital, arriving mere seconds later.

"Doctor! I need a doctor!" she yelled to no one in particular.

The nurse attending the reception area looked at the sight in her arms in horror, then quickly brought out a stretcher. "Lie her down." Lois set Clark down gently on the cot, and the nurse quickly wheeled it to the emergency room while an orderly took down personal information from Lois, which she gave him.

"Is there any family you need to call?"

She nodded, and he directed her to the phone. She dialed the Kent's.

"Hello, Kent residence."

"Chloe, it's Lois. I'm...at the Smallville hospital. Clark's hurt really badly. I can't do this by myself. Please hurry." She hung up before Chloe had a chance to answer. She couldn't deal with any more questions at the moment. She really couldn't deal with anything. Clark was dying, and there wasn't anything she could do about it. She couldn't lose him. Not now. Not like this. He meant everything to her. She didn't think she could live anymore without him.

It was too much. It was just too much to deal with. Lois quickly looked around for a place to sit. She was going to faint if she didn't sit down soon, and she couldn't faint in a hospital. That would be a disaster. She noticed a bench along the wall, walked towards it, and sat down. All she could do now was wait. She had done everything in her power to get him to safety as quickly as possible. It was in the doctor's hands now.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter Eighteen**

"How is...she?"

The doctor turned to Chloe to answer her question. "The blood transfusion was a success, and she has stabilized. Except for the blood loss, Ms. Lane did not sustain any major injuries. She has some serious bruising, but no broken bones and no head trauma."

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief, which was echoed by Lois and the Kent's. "So she is going to be okay?"

The doctor shook his head, and Lois' grip on her hand tightened. "I'm afraid there is something else wrong, something not related to her accident. An unknown toxin has gotten into her bloodstream somehow, and it has put her in a coma. Her massive blood loss has bought her some time, but I'm afraid there is nothing we can do. The toxin has already penetrated into the organs. I'm afraid it is only a matter of time now."

Lois broke down. "No. Gawd no. Clark..." Chloe wrapped her arms around Lois, her own tears assaulting her. She attempted to comfort her, but there was really nothing she could do. Clark was going to die. It was to unreal. They were going to lose Clark. She was going to lose Clark.

"How long?" Mr. Kent asked, being the only one currently not in tears, although they were threatening.

"A few hours. Five at most. I'm truly sorry. You are free to see her if you wish." Seeing that there was nothing more he could say, the doctor left them to their grief.

The Kent's were the first to accept the doctor's offer to visit Clark. Lois was simply to overcome by her emotions to move, so Chloe just sat with her and held her.

"Clark Kent?"

Chloe released Lois for a moment and turned around to face the voice. "This is Clark here," she said to the UPS delivery man before her, pointing to Lois.

"I have a package for him. Can you sign here?"

Chloe signed, and took it from him. What could this possibly be about? And why would it be delivered here, at the hospital? The package was small, and only appeared to be large enough for an envelope. She was about to open it, when Lois snatched it from her. She opened it, pulled out a folded piece of paper, and read it. Her eyes grew wide, and they glimmered with something Chloe couldn't quite place.

Lois dropped the note to the floor, got up, and ran to the stairwell. And then she was gone. Chloe picked the note up from the floor and examined it. It held only a few typed lines in the center of the page.

_By now you know that your girlfriend is infected with a lethal toxin. There is an antidote, but I am the only one that has access to it. Bring the stone you have to Sycamore and Ridge. There is a red waste basket near the stop sign. Drop it in within one hour, and I'll have the antidote delivered to the hospital within minutes. Don't, and Lois Lane dies. Don't be late._

Chloe's eyes widened in disbelief. She now knew where Lois had gone.

* * *

The wind rushed through her hair as Lois flew to her destination. In any other circumstances, she would enjoy the sensation. Flight was like no other experience in the world, and this included sex. Although she would have to admit that having sex with Clark would change all that. But none of this mattered at the moment. The only thing her mind was on was Clark. She had to save Clark, by whatever means necessary. It didn't matter who got a hold of the stones, as long as Clark survived. Clark had to live. He just had to. And nothing would prevent her from ensuring that he did. Nothing.

She reached the farm moments after leaving the hospital, landed, and ran at full speed to the barn to retrieve the key. She didn't bother unlocking the tool box it was stored in, tearing the entire drawer off instead. Having retrieved the key, she took off once again for her new destination: the caves. She arrived mere moments later with the key in hand.

Lois inserted the key into its slot in the cave wall, then pressed the sequence of symbols Clark had shown her earlier, and the hidden compartment slide open. She entered, took the black stone from its place on the table, and began to leave. A beam of light shot forth from the table and hit her, jolting her into releasing the stone. The cave disappeared, and she found herself in Jor-El's presence once again.

"_Why have you returned, Lois Lane?_" the familiar echoing voice of Jor-El asked her, as creepy as ever.

"I have to save Clark! Release me!"

"T_he stones of power cannot fall into mortal hands._"

"I don't care! I have to save Clark. Now release me!"

"_Grave consequences will result from the removal of even one stone from the cave. I cannot allow this._"

"Screw you!"

Lois focused on Clark, shutting out everything else. She made her mind focus on him, on the reality of his situation and the reality of what she had to do. Clark was all that mattered. Finding the strength she needed, she mentally assaulted the world around her, crashing it to pieces and bringing her back to the caves. She quickly picked up the stone and then took off towards the intersection of Sycamore and Ridge.

After dropping off the stone at the appropriate place, Lois returned to the hospital to check on Clark. The note had said the antidote would be delivered within a matter of minutes. Once again, all she could do was wait. Upon exiting the elevator, she was met with a very frantic Chloe.

"Lois!"

From the look in her eyes, Lois knew Chloe had read the note. "I had to, Chloe. I just had to. I couldn't let him die. He means everything to me."

"I know, Lois, I know. I would have done the same thing."

Really? She wasn't angry with her? "Thank you," she said. She knew Chloe understood what she meant. "I need to see him. Can you watch for another package?" Chloe nodded, and she headed to Clark's room.

She opened the door, and found the Kent's at his bed. Martha looked up as she entered. She saw the tears were still present in her eyes. She hated herself for what she was about to do, but she had to do it. "Mr. and Mrs. Kent, can I stay with Clark alone for a little while?" The two of them nodded, and they got up and left the room. Lois went to the side of his bed and took his hand in her own. His heartbeat was still very weak, although it didn't appear to have diminished any further.

"Hi Clark. It's me. Lois. You know, the friend that always gets on your nerves and loves to annoy the hell out of you." She laughed at herself. "I just need you to hold on for a little while longer. You've got to fight this, Smallville. Help is on the way.

"I...need to tell you something. And now seems as good of a time as any, since you won't remember this conversation anyway. I love you. I love you, Clark Kent. And I don't mean as a friend, either, although I do love you like that too. I truly, deeply, love you, more than I have ever loved anyone else in my entire life. You give me strength. You complete me. You are everything I've ever wanted in a man, and so much more. You are so noble, so caring, and so downright stubborn. I never thought I needed anyone but myself. But I need you, Clark. Gawd, I need you.

"So don't you dare die on me. Just hold on for me. And if not for me, then for Lana, the woman that you love. She needs you too. I heard what she told you in the barn. She loves you too, and I don't think she would take your death any better than I would."

Lois kissed Clark's hand, then leaned her head against the bed and began to stroke his hand with her fingers. And there she sat, content to be near Clark and somehow thinking that as long as she was with him, he would stay with her.

A knock sounded on the door, and she got up and answered it. It was Chloe, and she was in tears. In her hand she held yet another note. She took it and read it.

_Thank you for the stone. You have been very helpful. Oh, and just so you know, there is no cure. I'm afraid your girlfriend is going to die. Take comfort in the fact that with all of your amazing powers, you couldn't save the woman you loved. Goodbye._

No! No! It couldn't be. She read through the note again. "No! I did everything you wanted!" This couldn't be happening. Clark couldn't die. She wouldn't allow it. There was only one thing left to do. She took the note in her hand and squeezed it, turning it to dust. Then she started to leave the room and head for the stairwell once again.

Chloe stopped her, grabbing her hand. "Where are you going?"

"To the caves. I have to get him to switch us back. The world needs Clark."

"No! Lois, you'll die! Don't do this."

Lois shook her hand free from Chloe's grasp, careful to not hurt her in the process. She had to do this. It was Clark. Any price was worth his life. Even if that price was her own life. He was such a better person than she was, and he deserved his life more than she did. And she loved him. And that was what love was all about, was it not? Being willing to give up your own life for the life of another? Clark was willing to do that each and every day, for complete strangers. She wasn't. But she was willing to give it up for him.

Her resolve settled, she ran to the stairwell, not at super speeds, but fast enough so that Chloe would not be able to catch her. She reached it, scanned the floors below and above for any signs of life, then ran to the ground floor and out the door, taking off into the sky.

* * *

It was too much. It was all too much to handle. First she thought she was going to lose Clark, and now she was going to lose Lois instead. After everything that Clark had put her through, she was still willing to give up her life for him. Clark didn't deserve devotion like that. He didn't deserve to die, but Lois didn't either.

Chloe slid to the ground, her back resting against the door frame to Clark's room. She started to cry, for what seemed like the millionth time that day. Lois may not have been able to deal with losing Clark, but she couldn't deal with losing Lois. Lois was her family, her strength, her role model. She needed her.

A thought came to her and she drove it from her mind as soon as it had. As quickly as it had come and gone, she still felt guilty for thinking it. It was hateful, and totally unlike her. But it had come. _I wish Clark would die before Lois is able to switch back._

The heart monitor began to fluctuate, as the readings began to change drastically. And then it flat-lined, giving off the loud droning noise that indicated the death of the patient. _What have I done? I killed Clark._

She looked up at the monitor to confirm what she already knew. Clark Kent was dead. Gone. Forever. What she saw when she looked up was not what she expected, however. There, standing in front of her, was Lois' body. _How?_

"Where's Lois?"

"Clark, you're, you're..."

"I'm fine, Chloe. Now where is Lois?"

"She's, she's...in the caves."

He nodded, then scanned the room for something to wear. All he had on at the moment was a large hospital shirt. Thankfully, it hung to just below his thighs. Spotting a pair of hospital issue pants, he put them on, then turned back to Chloe. "I'm going to need your keys."

Chloe could not respond. It was all still too much of a shock. She simply pointed to her purse, which had fallen to the floor beside her. Clark walked to it, searched for a few seconds, then removed her keys. Then he took Chloe by both arms.

"I am fine, Chloe. Okay? But I need to go now. Lois needs me. She's hurting, I can feel it. I have to go to her."

Chloe only nodded weakly. Words still failed her. Clark released her, and she watched as he walked down the hall, then, after pausing a moment at the elevators, took the stairs down.

Clark was alive. And kicking, apparently. She still didn't understand how, but she was grateful, however it had happened. And his first words were about Lois, not Lana. Perhaps she had misjudged him. He really did care about Lois. And in that moment, she forgave him for whatever had gone on between him and Lois. She likely hadn't seen the whole story anyway.

She frowned as she saw Clark come back through the stairwell door a few minutes later. "Clark, what are you doing? Go to her!"

"Uh...I don't know where you parked your car."

"Oh."

* * *

Lois arrived at the cave in record time once again. Flying definitely cut down on the round trip. As her father had taught her, the most direct route was always the fastest route. She touched down just outside of the cave, and went inside. Pulling out the key that still resided in her pocket, she placed it into its assigned spot and the cavern door opened. She retrieved the key and placed it into its slot in the table.

Nothing. She pulled it out and placed it back in. Still nothing. No. "Talk to me! Don't do this! You have to reverse this. Please, I'm begging you." The tears began to form in her eyes. "You can't let him die. He's your son. Please don't let him die. He doesn't deserve this. This isn't his destiny. Let me take his place. Please!

"Talk to me, damn it!"

She pulled the key out once again, and placed it back into its slot. Still nothing. And then it hit her. She had broken it. When she had forcibly removed herself from his control, she hadn't just freed herself. She had destroyed whatever allowed Jor-El to speak.

"No," she said in defeat. She fell to her knees, then buried her face in her hands. She should have known something like this would happen. Every single time Clark had gone against Jor-El's wishes, nothing good had come of it. Why would it be any different now? Perhaps he really knew what he was talking about. It didn't matter anymore. She had failed Clark. There was nothing else she could do. He was going to die, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She cried. It was all she had left. She couldn't stand; she couldn't even think. All she had left were her tears. And they fell. And fell. And fell. She didn't know how long she sat there. It seemed like hours, but it could have been only a matter of minutes. Time was irrelevant. Her life was over. It had begun on the twenty-second of September, two thousand and four, at twenty thirty seven hours, the moment she had first met Clark. And it had ended the twenty-sixth of April, two thousand and five, at eleven twenty two hours, the moment she had realized that Clark Kent was going to die.

Her panic increased, as she realized that she could no longer feel Clark. He was truly gone. Clark was gone. Her Smallville was dead. How was she possibly supposed to deal with this? She had lost the love of her life, not once, but twice, in the same day. First, when she realized once and for all that Clark belonged to Lana, and again a few moments ago when she realized he belonged to no one. It was to much to handle. She couldn't go through this on her own. And the only person capable of helping her through it was gone. Forever.

"Lois."

Lois laughed to herself. Her mind was so desperate to believe that he was still alive that she was starting to imagine things. And it had gone so far as to imagine her own voice saying her name. The lengths the body will go through to keep itself alive.

"Lois. I'm here."

The voice was closer this time. She looked up. Was it really Clark? She couldn't tell anymore. She didn't feel his presence. Was this some type of sick joke? Or perhaps she was dreaming. Had she fallen asleep and not realized it?

"You're not dreaming, Lois. It's really me. I'm okay."

A small flicker sparked inside of her. Hope. Was it possible that this was really true? Why couldn't she feel him? She stood up and looked at him. He was dressed in a ridiculous looking hospital garb, not unlike what he worn the day she met him. Well, eventually worn. There were still some slight bruising around his face and hands, but nothing like what had been present before.

To hell with it. Real or not, she was going to cling to the moment. She ran to him and embraced him, crying tears of joy. He wrapped his arms around her as well, and it all came back. Their heartbeats synced back into beat, and his emotions came rushing to her. It was real. He was real. There was no way this was a dream.

Love. She felt love from him. Deep, overwhelming love. No. It couldn't be. She had misjudged his feelings before. Unless she heard the words from his own lips, she wasn't going to believe it. She could not go through the disappointment again.

"I love you, Lois Lane."

Her world exploded. Fireworks went off in her heart, and her joy increased tenfold. How could so much change in such a few short moments? How could her world be turned upside down and then turned back over and sent to the clouds in a few seconds? It didn't matter. This was really happening. She knew it without a doubt. Clark Kent loved her. And that was all that mattered.


	19. Chapter 19

**Chapter Nineteen**

"You love me?" Lois still could not believe it. How had he ever fallen in love with her? "What about Lana? I heard what she told you in the barn."

"You heard that? I guess that saves me some explaining. That was why I needed to get away for a few days. I wanted to figure it all out. I was actually about to ask you out when Lana came in. And then she threw all that on me, and I didn't know what I felt.

"But when I saw that the car was spinning out of control, and knew that there was a good chance I was going to die, only one thought came to my mind: I'm never going to get to find out how great you and I could be together. And I promised myself that if I lived through it, I would find out."

She smiled. It was all just so amazing. Still, he had to still have feelings for Lana. Feelings like that don't just change overnight. She wanted him, but she wanted all of him. Every part.

"Now I don't know how you feel. But I'm not going to give up until you give 'us' a chance. I'm going to win your heart, whether you like it or not. So you might as well say yes now, because I'm not going to stop asking you to go out with me until you say yes.

"So, will you go out with me?"

"Yes."

"What? Just like that?" He smirked. "That was easier than I thought. I didn't even have to get down on my hands and knees and beg."

She laughed. Maybe she should have made him work a little bit harder. No. She really really wanted to go out with him. Still, he had promised to win her heart. She could still make him do that. He already had her heart, but she didn't need to tell him that. A large smile slid across her face. This was going to be a lot of fun.

"Uh, Smallville?"

"Yeah?"

"I think we should return to the hospital. Your parents must be worried sick right about now."

"Oh, yeah. I guess your right. What exactly happened while I was out?"

"I'll fill you in later. Right now I've got to show you something." She took his hand and lead him out of the caves. "Now hold on tight. This is going to be one hell of a ride. It's better than sex."

He looked at her with a hint of mischief. No. He wasn't about to say what she thought he was, was he? "Even sex with me?"

Yep. He had been. "I don't know. I haven't had sex with you, Smallville. Maybe someday you'll get to find out." She winked at him, and he gulped loudly, although more from embarrassment than anything else. She laughed at him, then put her arms around him tightly and took off into the sky.

* * *

A high pitched scream filled the air of the Smallville Medical Center, which drew the attention of every single individual on the floor, as well as several individuals from other floors. Years later, nurses and orderlies would still tell the story of "the scream", until it eventually entered the realm of myth. It was said by some that the scream had been caused by ghosts. Still others talked of illegal medical experiments performed by Luthor Corp in the basement of the building. And yet others said it wasn't a woman's scream at all, but the call of a banshee like predator that stalked on the dead. All were in agreement, however, about one detail. The scream had caused the the California earthquake that happened just moments later. The story was that of legend, and eventually was made into a feature film entitled _The Scream_. It didn't do very well in the public eye, but it is still a town favorite in Smallville.

"I can't believe you asked Lois out!" Chloe continued the little dance she had started upon hearing the news from Clark.

"And I said yes."

"Yes, and you said yes. This is awesome! I always knew you two would end up together. I knew it!"

Clark looked at her with a puzzled look. "You did?"

"Of course! I've known that you've had the hots for Lois for months."

"What! But I've only known for a few days myself. How could you possibly have known that?"

"Because I'm perceptive, silly. And because it was obvious. Everyone that has ever seen you together has thought the two of you were dating."

Clark was still confused. Had it really been that obvious? Why hadn't he realized his feelings until now? "But we don't even get along very well."

"Exactly!"

"Huh?"

"Exactly," Chloe said again. "All you two ever do is argue. The attraction is obvious."

Did Chloe always make this little sense? He turned to Lois to see if she was as confused as he was. But confusion was not what he was sensing from her. She was moderately amused with the whole situation. Clark gave her a disapproving look. Lois simply stuck her tongue out at him.

"See! That's what I'm talking about. You two have it bad. I'm giving it two weeks before you both throw _everything _to the wind and sleep together, whether you've switched back or not."

Lois and Clark both shivered and grimaced. "Ew! That's gross, Chloe!" they said in unison.

"See, you're even talking at the same time. Two weeks after that and you'll be married, mark my words."

"I'll have you know that Clark and I are going to take things slow. Aren't we, Clark?"

Lois gave him a look that told him he'd better be on her side. There was no reason to argue. He was on her side. He wasn't about to rush into anything either. No, he wanted his relationship with Lois to last. He wasn't about to make it focused on the physical side of things to soon. He still didn't even know that much about her. There was so much more to fall in love with. Why hurry anything? He planned on savoring every stage of their relationship. He wasn't about to go to fast and miss some of it.

"Of course we are. We are the...uh..." He paused, trying to come up with the correct word.

"...epitome of slowness."

"Yeah, the..what she said."

"Okay, if you say so. I'm just glad the two of you have finally worked passed your issues and gone for it."

Clark didn't like what she was implying. "Wait, I don't have...many...issues."

Lois looked at him in disbelief. "Smallville, you've got more issues than a kangaroo stuck in the north pole with nothing to eat but Tabasco sauce."

Clark simply smiled. "Yeah, but at least I'm working on my issues. Recognizing them is always the first step. I think I might be able to teach you a thing or two about that."

Lois smiled in return, accepting his jab in good fun. "Who shall be teaching whom, Smallville? Aren't I the one who learned how to fly all by my lonesome?"

"Hey!"

"Okay, Chloe helped." She paused and gave her a look, telling her that she really wasn't helping her case any.

"What? I do work. I get credit. It's the way the world works. Or the way its supposed to, anyway."

Both Clark and Lois shook there heads at her. Chloe, always the journalist.

Chloe decided to change the subject. "So when are you two going on your first date?"

"I don't know," Clark said. "But I think I'll want to get out of these hospital clothes first. They're freeing and all, but really not that comfortable. Or that attractive, for that matter."

"Well I don't think you have to worry about dressing attractively for Lois. It's not like she's going to be fawning over your good looks or anything. At least according to the two of you." She winked at them, and they both sighed. She really was hopeless, wasn't she?

Any conversation that might have taken place next was interrupted by the arrival of the Kent's. They had gone to check out. The doctors still couldn't understand Clark's amazing recovery. After he had returned, they had run several more tests, just to make sure everything was fine. After having issued him a clean bill of health and instructed him to take it easy for a few days, they had released him. The Kent's had been asked to finalize all of the paperwork.

"We're done here," Mr. Kent said. "Are you three ready to go home?"

"Actually, Lois and I are going to go it ourselves."

"We are?"

"Yes. I kind of left Chloe's car at the caves."

"Oh. Right. Shouldn't Chloe come along too, then?"

Chloe's eyes brightened at the opportunity. "Oh, yes, pleeeeeease...Chloe needs to come along too."

Mr. Kent laughed. "Chloe needs to come along too?" He turned to Lois. "Can you handle them both?"

"I'm sure I can. I can lift a tractor in each hand. So the two of them shouldn't be a problem."

"Then I don't have a problem with it. Although I don't want you two," he said, indicating Lois and Clark, "to stay out and about long. I expect you both to be home for lunch."

They both nodded. "We will," Clark said. He turned to Lois, offer him his hand. "Shall we?"

Lois took it, smiling. "We shall." And with that, the three of them left.

Martha smiled at her husband. "They are really great together, aren't they?"

Jonathan nodded. "That they are. That they are."

* * *

Greg Sawyer shivered as he answered the his cell phone. He really didn't want to take this call. But he either took it, or lost his life. And that really wasn't much of a choice.

"Hello?"

"Well? Is it done?" the voice on the other line asked him, sending shivers down his spine. It was an inhuman voice, obviously generated by a computer or other type of voice scrambler, but it was still creepy.

"No, sir. It didn't work."

"What! You mean she's not dead?"

"N..no, sir. The doctors just gave her a clean bill of health and released her. I don't understand it. She doesn't even look like she's been in an accident. All the cuts and bruises she had when she came in, they were nearly all gone when she left."

"Hmmm...perhaps I misjudged the girl's place in all of this. I'll have to think about this. Follow them, Sawyer."

Fear gripped him. "Uh...sir, I can't."

"What do you mean you can't? Just get in your car and follow them."

"They didn't drive. Uh, Clark sort of...flew off with the two girls in his arms."

"Flew?"

"Yes, sir. He left the ground and went into the sky like it was the most natural thing in the world."

"Who was the other girl?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You said he flew off with two girls. Who was the other girl?"

"Oh. His friend Chloe. Chloe Sullivan."

"You've done well, Sawyer. I will call you again when I need you."

Greg considered a moment whether or not he should share the strangest thing he had learned. "Uh, sir? There's one more thing." He decided not to chance it. If the Employer found out he had kept something from him, there was no telling what he would do.

"Out with it!"

"Clark...he kept calling Lois Clark. And Chloe and Lois kept calling Clark Lois. I think they all might have gone off the deep end."

"Thank you, Sawyer. That is most interesting. Most interesting indeed." The call ended, and Greg breathed a sigh of relief. He had only taken this "assignment" for some quick cash, but this was quickly turning into a nightmare. It had seemed so easy. Punch a boy at school in the face, and receive one hundred grand in cash. He should have known it was to good to be true. Oh, he had gotten the money. But now it seemed he was strapped in for a life contract.

Not that his little assignment hadn't been interesting. Indeed, finding out the school's star quarterback was actually a superhero had been a shocker, for one. And he was certain to uncover yet more bizarre facts before he was through. But it wasn't worth it. If he had known what he was getting himself into before hand, he would have never accepted it. And now he was afraid he had no choice but to see this thing through if he wanted to survive. Making deals with the devil really didn't pay off. And the Employer, whoever he was, definitely was on a first name basis with the guy.


	20. Chapter 20

**Chapter Twenty**

Clark could not believe how happy he was. Lois made him truly and wonderfully happy. He had only been "officially" with her for about an hour, yet he was nearly bursting at the seams with joy. And he loved her. He still couldn't quite get his head around that notion. Who would have ever thought he would have fallen in love with Lois Lane? According to Chloe, apparently everyone. Everyone, it seemed, except him and Lois. He wondered how long they would have continued to live in the dark if the universe hadn't seen fit to intervene and shine the light on them. Would it have been months? Years? He didn't know. Frankly, he didn't care. The only thing he cared about at the moment was sitting next to him, her hand intertwined in his.

Clark's thoughts drifted from Lois to their current situation. Although he was glad that Jor-El would no longer be able to interfere in their lives, he hoped what Lois had done wouldn't prevent them from switching back. According to Jor-El, it shouldn't, since he had insisted that fate had caused the body switch, but how honest with him had he ever really been?

What had Lois told him would switch them back? _Strength through connection. Preparation before battle._ Well, he had found his strength. There was no doubt about that. Lois gave him the strength to do anything, even when she was in tears. Just her mere presence increased his confidence tenfold. And that was a good thing. How else would he have ever mustered up the courage to ask her out?

And the preparation before battle? That was the one that worried him. He didn't like the sound of this battle, and he really didn't want to be prepared for it. He was not going to rule the world, and he wasn't about to get himself ready to. But that didn't bode well for him or Lois, as they could only take their relationship so far in their current bodies.

It still didn't make sense to him. If Lois truly was the connection he was supposed to make, and he really believed she was, then how could he possibly be destined to rule? Lois would never let him go down that path. And it sounded like the two were connected. Fate had intervened to make sure of both, implying that he needed her strength and he needed preparation for whatever was to come. Perhaps he had been wrong about what he was meant for. Still, Jor-El's words to him had been pretty clear. T_hey are a flawed race. Rule them with strength, my son. That is where your greatness lies._ What else could that possibly mean?

"Joseph Willowbrook called this morning," his mother commented as she returned to the table with another bowl of mashed potatoes.

Clark was puzzled. Why would Joseph Willowbrook be calling? He hadn't heard from him in over a year. He noticed that Lois was giving his mother an odd look, and she responded with a look of surprise and guilt. Had the two of them been keeping something from him intentionally? If they had, Lois would have a good reason for it. But he still needed to know.

"Lois, what's going on?" he asked, knowing she would answer honestly. That was how their relationship had always worked.

"I...well, I really didn't want you to find out about this until I knew something for sure. I'm researching the caves."

"Why?"

"Because I don't think it is your destiny to rule, and I intend to prove it."

"Oh." She never ceased to amaze him. She was always looking out for him, even when he didn't realize it. "Can I help you?"

Lois looked at him in surprise. "What?"

"I'm not so sure that I'm destined to rule either, anymore. I'd like to help."

"Really?"

Clark felt relief and thankfulness flooding from Lois. She really cared about him a lot, didn't she? That thrilled him to no end. He still intended to sweep the girl off her feet, but it was going to be so much easier to do with her caring about him so much already.

"Yes, really. It just doesn't add up. I'm beginning to wonder if perhaps I misread the message that Jor-El sent me in my spaceship. With some more research, perhaps I can find out what he really meant."

"I'm really happy for you, Clark." He could feel the excitement in her, so he knew she meant it. "Do you want to call him back after we finish lunch?"

"That sounds like a great idea. We'll have to meet with him this afternoon, though."

"Why?"

"Because after lunch I need to stop by Lana's and have a talk to her about us, and this evening we are having are first date. At an as yet undisclosed location."

"Oh," she said. Then she hit him.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"For ruining any excitement I might have had about meeting with Joseph later today. Now all I'm going to be able to think about is our date. Thanks a lot!"

He smiled. "I love you too." He felt his heart jump, and he smiled. Lois' heart jumped every single time he told her he loved her. "Uh, are you going to eat all of that?" he said, motioning to her steak.

"You can put the teenage boy into a teenage girl, but you can't take the teenage boy out of a teenage boy." She laughed. "Sure, Smallville, you can have it. I'm not very hungry all of a sudden." She released his hand, got up, and dropped her face down to his ear, resting her hands on his shoulders. "Don't ever stop telling me you love me, Smallville," she whispered. Then she kissed him on the back of his neck, sending shivers up and down his spine, and walked upstairs to their room.

Their room? How long had he been referring to it that way? She was definitely going to make it hard for him to keep his resolve to take things slow, even with things the way it was. He touched the place on his neck where she had kissed him. Yes, this was definitely going to take some strength of will. Suddenly, he wasn't very hungry either.

"Mom, dad, I think I'm finished too. I'm going to go see what Lois is doing."

"Okay, son. Be good."

"I will." _Oh I will._

* * *

What could Lois possibly have to talk to her about? Lana just could not figure it out. It had sounded so serious on the phone. Was Clark okay? Fear gripped her. No, it couldn't be. He had to be okay. But she had not seen him sick often, and he had looked really bad when she had seen him the day before. Was he really gone? Lois or the Kent's would have called if it had gotten close to that, right?

All of a sudden, Lana was really anxious for Lois to show up. She need reassurance that Clark was okay. At the same time, she dreaded her arrival. What if it was true? She couldn't handle that. She had finally mustered up the courage to tell Clark how she felt, and to go after him. And now he might be gone forever.

She heard a knock on her apartment door. Good, Lois was here. Or bad, depending on what she said. She hurried to the door, unlocked it, and opened it for her.

"Is Clark okay?"

Lois entered the room and sat down. "He's fine."

Relief filled her. "He hasn't called. Did you tell him what I asked you too?"

"Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about."

Lana couldn't believe it. He had said no, and not even had the decency to say it in person. He couldn't at least give her that?

"There's someone else, isn't there?"

"Yes."

Her heart sank. "Why didn't he come and tell me himself?"

"Actually, he did...Lana, I'm not Lois. I'm Clark."

What? That was the last thing she expected her to say. Clark had switched bodies with Lois? How had that happened? And how could there be someone else if Clark was a woman?

Lana suddenly burst out laughing. "You had me there for a moment. Good one."

"I'm serious, Lana. I'm Clark."

"Sure you are. And I'm really Lex Luthor."

"On my sixteenth birthday, you brought me a cake and asked me to make a wish. I told you I'd been wishing for the same thing since I was five, but that I didn't need to wish anymore. And then I kissed you.

"That day that Adam showed up for the last time, where I got that phone call from you in the future, after everything, you told me that perhaps our future's aren't as mapped out as we think they are, and that we may have more control over our future than we think.

"And last year, when you got back from Paris, you visited the caves, and I was there. You told me that with everything we had been through, you thought it would take us longer to get over each other. When I asked you what you were talking about, you told me you thought me and Lois were together. I out right denied it, and you told me that the best ones always start out that way."

Lana's eyes widened in surprise. It _was_ Clark. "Oh my gawd! How did this happen?"

"I'm still not quite sure. We just woke up Saturday morning and we were in each other's bodies. This isn't the first time I've switched bodies with someone, but the first time was because of one of the stones."

"Wait, you've been in each other's bodies for four days?"

He nodded. This was so unreal. "Who did you switch with before?"

"Uh, Lionel Luther, while he was in prison. Lana, you've got to keep this quite. Neither of us really wants the whole town to find out about this. That's why I've been working at the Talon and she's been going to school for me."

She nodded. It made sense. If it had happened to her, she wouldn't want anyone to know about it either. She was embarrassed enough with having been possessed earlier in the year. But this was a whole different thing entirely.

And then it hit her. "It's her, isn't it?"

"What?"

"Lois. She's the someone else."

"Yes. I'm sorry, Lana. I just have to give me and her a chance. I know if I don't, I'll regret it for the rest of my life. And if I'm going to have a chance with her, then there can't be anything between us. Not even a hint of anything."

"I know. And I understand. It was the same way with me and Jason. I knew you wanted to be with me, but in my eyes there was only him."

"What happened between you two? It seemed like you were so good together."

"We were. I still love him, too. But he wasn't honest with me. He kept shutting me out and lying to me. About his mother, about the stones. And a relationship just can't work like that.

"Clark, don't make that same mistake with Lois. She's a really great girl, and I really like her. But you have to be honest with her if you expect to have any chance with her at all. She deserves it. I've talked with her a few times. She may seem independent and self-sufficient, and in some ways she is. But she's had a pretty hard life, and I know she keeps people distant because of it. So don't break her heart, because I am pretty sure, as strong as she is, that she couldn't take losing someone else. Especially someone as special as you."

Clark smiled. It wasn't the famous Kent smile she was used to, but it was close. "You're right. And I don't plan on breaking her heart. I don't think I could live with myself if I did that to her."

Lois smiled. "You really like her, don't you?"

He nodded, then thought better of it and shook his head, which puzzled her. He didn't like her? "No, I love her. And I really don't know how that happened. I still couldn't stand her a week or two ago. I still can't stand her, but at the same time I don't want to not be around her. I guess you were right. The best ones _do_ start out that way."

"That has to be hard, though."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, how are you two handling your relationship with things as they are? It has to be hard, feeling the way you do."

"It is. But we're taking things slow. That's the only thing we can do right now. Our first date is tonight. That's why I wanted to come by now. I wanted you to find out from me first. And I'm sorry I can't give you what you want."

Lana thought about his words for a few moments. She was sad that he didn't feel the same way, yes. But she wasn't heartbroken. And that made her wonder how deeply she really loved Clark. She didn't quite understand why she was taking it so well, or why she was so happy for him. She was grateful that he had made the effort to explain everything himself, but she wasn't mad at him for being in love with Lois. And that was unusual for her.

"Don't worry about it, Clark. We're still friends, though, right?"

"Of course."

"Good. Thank you for being honest with me. About everything. I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome. Uh, I guess I'd better get going. I'll see you later?"

"Sure, I'll see you later." She watched as he got up and left. And for once, it didn't pain her to see him go, which, as before, surprised her. Perhaps she really was over him, or perhaps she still hadn't gotten over someone else.

* * *

_An hour earlier..._

Choices. Life was all about choices. At the moment, however, the choices were far to numerous for Lois to even begin making one. Mass Communications in Society was set in stone. She was fairly certain she wanted to pursue a career in Journalism, and she needed that class in order to apply for the program. She also needed Macroeconomics. And after that? The sky was the limit. Although currently even that wasn't a limit for her. _Damn powers. They're messing with my pop culture lingo._

Lois still wasn't even sure how she had come to the conclusion of pursuing journalism as a career. Chloe had had a major impact, for sure. It was hard not to catch her passion for it. And her successful, albeit short, career at the Talon had likely played a part as well. But neither would have normally convinced her. Perhaps she just liked the thrill of getting her hands dirty and uncovering the truth. Whatever the case, she was fairly convinced that she wanted to pursue it. And now, thanks to Clark, she would have the chance.

She still couldn't believe all he had done for her. It made her feel special. He had gone out of his way to help her because he believed she could succeed if given another chance, and he wanted to give her that chance. He was simply amazing.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on her door. It was Clark. She had felt their connection grow stronger, the way it always did the nearer he got to her. "Come in, Smallville."

Clark let himself in and sat down next to her on the bed. "What are you reading?"

"Oh, just some college stuff for next semester. I'm trying to figure out what classes to take. There's far to many choices."

"I know what you mean. I still haven't decided what college I'm even going to attend, much less looked over my classes. And then there is what major to pick, which leads you to the all important question of what you want to do with the rest of your life. That's a lot to think about."

"Don't I know it. Although I think I have decided on a major. But classes? Do I take the basics? Psychology, Biology, etcetera, etcetera. Or do I go for something I'm interested in? I didn't have to think about this last year. I got accepted so late that I just enrolled in whatever was still open."

Clark nodded, and took her hand seemingly without thinking about it. Lois smiled. It had become as natural for her as it was for him. Whenever they were together, their hands naturally drifted towards each other. It was like second nature. Or first nature. What was first nature, anyway? If second nature entailed things that you did naturally, then what was first nature? Was that things like breathing, blinking, and such? Or was that second nature too?

Regardless, she loved it. Touching him increased their connection astronomically, and she loved feeling him. It was one thing to know that he loved her. But to feel it, too? It was simply amazing.

"What have you decided on?"

Lois was thrown by the question. What was he talking about? Despite their connection, she still could not read his mind. Now _that_ would really be something.

"Huh?"

"What major have you decided on?"

"Oh. Journalism."

Clark laughed. "Chloe got you hooked, huh?"

"I think she might have been the catalyst, but I decided this on my own. How about you?"

"I don't know. I thought about journalism for a while, but I really don't think that is for me. The thing is, I don't know what is for me. I'm excellent in math and science, but what can you really do with that? Those aren't things I really love doing, either. I'm interested in astronomy, but I don't want to pursue that as a career either. I just don't know."

"You could always go undeclared and just go for the basics for a while. You have to take them anyway, after all." He nodded, then paused. Something was up. Something was bothering him, just below the surface. He was slowly getting nervous about something. "Clark, what is it?"

"Huh?"

"You need to talk to me about something. What is it?"

"How do you do that? You always seem to know what I am thinking."

_Don't I wish._ "I just know you, I guess. It doesn't hurt that I can tell what you are feeling, either."

"No, I guess not. I'm just not as good at it as you."

"It'll come, Clark. Just give it time. Now what's on your mind?"

"I...uh...well, I wanted to talk about us."

Lois repressed a smile. It was so like him to remain vague. Whatever he had to talk about, though, was hard for him to say, yet important to him. So she wasn't about to put him down for it. "Us. Is there something specific you wanted to talk about, or just us in general?"

"Yes, something specific. About us taking things slow."

"I thought you wanted to take things slow, too."

"I do. I don't want to rush into anything, or move to quickly. I love you, but I still don't know you very well. Or least not as well as I would like to. And I want to fix that before moving on to anything...deeper."

She nodded, understanding. She was there as well. She liked where they had, and wanted to expand on it before moving further. But if he felt the same way, then what was the problem? "I don't understand, Smallville. What's the problem then?"

"It's about what you did earlier at the table."

"What, hold your hand?" She sincerely hoped that wasn't what he was referring to. It was so natural to slip her hand into his that she didn't think she could stop, even if she tried.

"No, not that. Definitely not that. The kiss."

"You mean on the neck? I was just showing you my appreciation, and how much I care about you, Smallville."

"I know, and I love it. A little too much, I'm afraid. It makes it harder for me to take things slow with you. I feel like rushing things all of a sudden, and I don't want to do that to you. So I thought we could talk about laying off on it for a while."

"I don't understand. I thought the fact that we are together now allowed me to act this way. How is what you are asking for any different from us just being friends?" It simply didn't make any sense. She loved him. She wanted him to know that. And kissing him like she had was one way to show him that.

"I don't know. Maybe there isn't much of a distinction. Perhaps all we are right now is friends. But if that it true, then we are friends that are pursuing something deeper. Does it really matter what are relationship is called, as long as we are moving towards something deeper?"

"No, Clark, it doesn't matter to me what we call what we have. I just don't want things to be awkward between us. And if I have to think about what I can and can not do around you, it is going to be awkward."

"I'm just trying to be honest with you, Lois. I don't want things to be awkward between us, either. But I also can't help what I feel. And when you kiss me, it's like the whole world seems to fade from view and the stars align in the sky. And I'm left wanting more. A lot more. And it is really hard for me to think clearly and say no.

"I'm going to be perfectly blunt. I wanted to jump you right then and there, in front of my parents and everything. When I came up to talk to you, I had to stop at the door to get a hold of myself. I love you, but I'm really attracted to you too. And it's like nothing I've ever felt before. I don't want to control myself. And it really scares me.

"Lois, I want things to work out between us so badly. I haven't ever wanted something as much as this. Ever. And I truly believe that we need to grow closer before we start anything physical. If this...us...doesn't work out, I don't want to be haunted by the things we did. I don't want to lose our friendship because of our relationship, and I don't want either of us to move to fast and become attached to quickly."

"I think it may already be to late for that, Smallville. I can't imagine my life without you in it."

"That's just my point. If, hypothetically, a month or two down the line, or even a year or so, we find out that us as a couple isn't going to work, it is going to hurt that much more if we've been sleeping with each other. Am I right?"

She nodded. He was right. She couldn't bear to lose what they had now. But if they became that close, and she lost it? And not only lost what they had, but lost his friendship, too?

"But Clark, a relationship is about making a commitment to the other. It's about committing to work through whatever happens, no matter what."

"No, Lois. That is what marriage is about. A relationship is about finding out whether or not you are willing to make that commitment to each other. And I can't tell you honestly that I'm there yet. And until I am, or until I'm at least a lot closer to being there, I want to make sure we don't do anything that is going to hurt you if I can't make that commitment. Can you understand that?"

"Yes, I can. I don't want to hurt you either, Clark. I just...this is who I am. That's the way I express myself, my love. I can try. But you say you want to know me. Well that is me."

"I don't want you to be anything other than yourself, Lois. You don't have to stop. Just maybe slow down a little. I can try harder, too. I just need you to know how much you affect me, and how hard this is for me too. It is going to be hard for me to keep my hands off of you, and I'm going to need your support and strength to do it."

Lois smiled weakly, her eyes wet, tears threatening. "Thank you."

Clark looked at her with confusion. "Thank you? For what?"

"For being honest with me, Smallville. For being honest with me. This...I know this was hard for you. This is going to be hard for both of us. But it means a lot to know that you love me enough to talk to me about it. We're in this together. And as long as you are honest with me, we'll always be in this together."


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter Twenty-One**

There were no words. Words were not capable of expressing Lois' current feelings. Metaphors could be made, but all would come up short. She could say she was floating in the clouds, but she had done that, and it just didn't measure up, even if it was great. Or she could say her heart was burning inside of her with a fire that would not go out, but even that failed to convey the depth of her feelings. She didn't know how to express them in words. There were no words.

"I just can't believe it. It's so...amazing. I never thought this would happen. Chloe, he makes me so happy! He's so caring, so considerate. And now he's opening up to me like he never has before. He's being completely honest with me, Chlo'. He's being honest with me! Clark!"

Chloe shook her head. "That's...wow, that's big. Are you sure we're talking about the same Clark?" At Lois' disapproving look, she attempted to divert the attention elsewhere. "What did he say?"

"He asked me not to kiss him."

"What?" Chloe exclaimed, nearly shouting. "You kissed him? Again?"

"I kissed him on the neck. It's how I treat those I love. You know that. I've kissed you in the same way quite a few times. I didn't think anything of it, even with things the way they are. But it turns him on, and makes it hard for him to keep his hands off me. Well, when he's not looking at me, anyway. When he sees me those desires vanish fairly quickly, even though his attraction and love doesn't go away. But it is going to get even harder for him once we switch back, which I am fairly certain has to happen soon. There's only so much cruelty that fate should be able to dish out."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to try. That is all I can do. We both want to take this slow. I'm probably going to need as much help as he is once we switch back. I'm having a hard time keeping my hands to myself as it is."

"Lois!"

"What? I can't help it if he's got the greatest build I have ever seen. Not that I've really done anything. No, it's still a little to weird to turn yourself on when you are looking at yourself. Or feeling yourself."

Chloe made a disgusted face. "I can imagine." She paused for a moment. "What is it like, exactly, to be a man?"

"Uh...different? I don't know. I try not to think about it. This whole thing has certainly helped me understand Smallville a lot more, though. Everything he has to deal with every day. How he has to focus all the time in order to not go running and smashing through everything. It is really hard sometimes."

"I hadn't thought about that. I thought his abilities were something he had to think about to use."

"Nope. It's the other way around. I have to constantly think about not using them. I have to think about keeping my feet on the ground. If I stop thinking about it, I start to float. It's even harder when Clark is around, because he makes me so happy, and happiness is what triggered it to begin with."

Chloe just shook her head and smiled. Then she laughed.

"What's so funny?"

"You. You're glowing. Every time you say his name, or one of your nicknames for him, your whole face lights up."

"Really? It lights up? I've got it bad, don't I?"

"Yes. Yes you do." They both laughed heartily. Then Lois paused, feeling a familiar sensation from Clark. It must have shown up on her face, as Chloe asked her, "What is it, Lois?"

"Smallville's done talking to Lana. I need to meet him at Central Kansas."

"Wait, how do you know this? Can you read each other's minds now?"

"I wish. No, it's just a feeling. Clark sends it my way whenever he wants to talk to me. We agreed to meet there earlier to talk to Professor Willowbrook. Can we finish this later? I think the Professor is waiting on me."

"How could you possibly know that?"

"Because Smallville's impatient. He's not impatient with me. Ever. So he has to be forcing the emotion in order to let me know that Joseph doesn't have much time."

"Oh. But of course." A slight pause. "Sure, we can finish this later. I'll be at the Torch until six at least. Stop by later?"

"Sure. Bye, baby."

"Bye Lo'. Love ya."

"Love you too." And with that, she took off at full speed.

She smiled as she heard Chloe say "I really wish they would stop doing that" under her breath.

* * *

"Is he going to be much longer? I am really pressed for time."

"No," Clark said, "I don't think it will be much-" Clark jumped as Lois appeared behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

"Longer," Lois finished for Clark. "That's right. I'm here." She turned to the professor. "Hi Professor Willowbrook."

"Hello Naman. What is it you wanted to speak to me about?"

Clark noticed Lois roll her eyes, and felt annoyance from her. _What is that about?_ he wondered. He'd have to ask her about it later.

"I wanted to know if I could get my hands on the book of prophecies about Naman. And perhaps discuss some of your interpretations of them, if you have time."

Joseph checked his watch. "I can spare about twenty minutes at the most. I wouldn't spare even that much if it were not you." He stopped and pulled a leather bound book out of his bag, then sat down at their table on the grounds of Central Kansas. Clark and Lois both joined him at the table. "Where shall I begin?"

"The beginning?"

* * *

Chloe sighed and closed her laptop. She wasn't going to get any writing done until she cleared her head. There were too many thoughts flying through her head, and none of them were related to the story she was currently working on, which was about an apparently unexplainable robbery at the Talon. One of the girls had been working the till Saturday night when all the till money had just vanished. But her current thoughts prevented her from coming up with a plausible explanation.

What was it with Clark? It was like he was an entirely different person. Okay, so technically he was, but that wasn't what she was getting at. He was so...bold. Honest. Open. What had happened to him over the last several days? What had changed?

Love. It was love. Clark was in love. Yet it was more than that. It had to be. He had been in love with Lana for years, and nothing like this had ever happened. Had it been Lois' reaction to his secret? That she accepted him for who he was, alien heritage and all, that had changed his outlook? Or did it go even deeper than that? What was driving Clark to pull out all the road blocks between him and Lois? Why would he risk everything and expose himself to Lois now?

Ah, the mystery of Clark Kent. Even with the knowledge that she now had, he was ever the mystery. It seemed he was even more a mystery now than before. Clark Kent being honest with the woman he loved was far more bizarre than Clark Kent lifting a tractor above his head. Far, far more bizarre. An honest Clark Kent was like a flying ostrich. It went against who he was. Was being the key term. Whoever he had been, he wasn't that man anymore. He had grown. A lot.

Chloe laughed. Who would have ever thought that becoming a woman would make Clark Kent a man? Not her, certainly. Perhaps Jor-El really did know what he was doing after all. What had happened in the hospital certainly supported that. Clark was fine, and Lois hadn't needed to give up the stone. Now Jor-El was gone, possibly forever, and some unknown enemy had the stone. The whole situation had not turned out well. Alright, so it had been a disaster. At least Clark was okay, though, despite not getting an antidote.

That was another thing that didn't make any sense. How had he survived? Had this enemy simply been toying with them? Was the poison truly not fatal, but only appeared to be? Or did it have something to do with Clark?

Her thoughts were interrupted by a creak in the floor behind her. Someone was there. Before she could react, she felt two hands close around her, one around her stomach and one around her head. She attempted to struggle, but a familiar smell stopped her. Chloroform. _Not again! Why do **I** always have to be kidnapped?_ The darkness overcame her, and she lost consciousness.

* * *

Chloe groaned. She had a splitting headache, and her body ached everywhere. She felt like she had aged thirty years overnight, and then had gotten hit by a car. She attempted to open her eyes, but that only increased the intensity of her headache, and she quickly closed them again. She attempted to bring her hand to her head in a vain effort to ease the pain, but realized her hand would not move. It was restrained somehow. Both of them were. As were her legs, she realized a few moments later. What was going on?

Then she remembered. The Torch. A presence behind her. The smell of Chloroform. Darkness. _Great. Just great._

She once again attempted to open her eyes, only slower this time. A heavy squint. Then a lighter one. Finally, she opened her eyes completely and looked around. She was in what looked to be a small hospital room. She didn't recognize the room, but she knew for sure it wasn't in Smallville Medical Center. She was lying down in a medical bed, strapped with leather straps to the sides of the bed. What worried her further was the sight of her hands. They were not her own.

She franticly looked around the room for anything to confirm her suspicions. She noticed a small metal cabinet not far from her, which appeared to be brand new. She took a good look at her reflection in the side of the cabinet, and her eyes grew wide in horror as she saw the last face she ever expected to see in a reflective surface. _This is so not happening_.

* * *

How had generations upon generations of people interpreted the prophecy so poorly? How had no one ever seen what she saw? It didn't make any sense. Tradition did govern a lot of the Kawachi people's beliefs, but was no one clear minded enough to see the truth? From all looks and appearances, Joseph Willowbrook appeared to be very intelligent. Yet even he, with the key to unlocking the mysteries of the caves in his hands, could not see the big picture. Everything in the book he had given her supported her theory. Everything. After he had left, she had spent an hour with Clark going over the book from cover to cover. She had searched tirelessly for even one contradiction, and hadn't been able to find it. It didn't exist, because her theory wasn't a theory at all. It was the true meaning of the prophecy, plain and simple.

Lois shook her head. How they could ignore the truth when it was staring them right in the face was beyond her. But then she lived for truth. Truth made a difference. It could drastically change people's lives for the better. It could do harm as well, but she understood it enough to know when to make that distinction.

Truth was the real reason behind her desire to pursue journalism. She saw the field as her opportunity to make a difference in the world. If she could expose the corruption of society, as well as the good, perhaps she could make a difference in people's lives. She wasn't destined to do good with strength of body, as Clark was. It wasn't something she could handle. But she could make a difference through writing. She could not spell to save her life, but that's what editors were for. What she did have was a passion for the truth and the determination to not give up until she got to the bottom of things. And she truly cared about the people around her. The good people. People like her cousin, like Clark, and even like her sister Lucy, on occasion.

Thinking of Lucy made Lois sad. Lucy had such potential. She had greatness that few were ever gifted with. A few bad choices later, and she was running from the law and from her family. If only she could discover the greatness in herself like Clark was beginning to in himself. If she could see herself as Lois saw her, perhaps she would put her past mistakes behind her and get her life back on track.

Lois put her thoughts of Lucy aside for the time being as she neared her destination. She scanned the immediate area, then dropped out of the sky and landed discretely near the school, then went inside to find Chloe.

"Hi Lois," Chloe said as Lois entered Torch HQ.

"Hi Chlo'. You making any progress on the presses?"

"Some. I still have a few hours of work ahead of me, though. But I always have time for you. What is on your mind?"

"I thought we would finish our conversation from earlier. I left in a bit of a hurry."

"Sure, Lois. Have a seat." Chloe gestured towards the empty chair next to her, which Lois found a little odd._ There isn't usually a second chair, is there?_ Not that it really mattered. She dismissed the thought and took the offered seat next to her. "So where did we leave off?"

Lois laughed. "I think we just finished talking about how bad I have it for Clark."

"I knew it," she heard Chloe say, barely above a whisper. If not for her enhanced senses, she would not have picked it up.

"Knew what?"

Chloe looked at her in surprise, but the look faded quickly. "Never mind. What is next on the agenda?"

"Agenda? Chloe, is there something wrong? You don't seem yourself."

"I'm fine." Chloe looked at her reassuringly, then placed her hand on Lois'.

The contact brought a sudden pain to her body, then dizziness began to cloud her mind. Shades of pink and white light flashed before her eyes, and the dizziness continued to increase. Suddenly, the dizziness was overwhelming. It was so intense that the world around her began to fade away, and she lost all feeling in her body and awareness of her surroundings.

As quickly as it had come, the feeling cleared. _What was that?_ She shook her head and opened her eyes, trying to regain her focus. Her mouth dropped in shock at the sight before her. There, sitting next to her, was Clark's body, smiling evilly.

"I love this stone," he said, still smiling the same way.

Lois gasped as he picked her up and threw her across the room. Impact came, and for the second time in a matter of moments, the world faded away.


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter Twenty-Two**

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Clark did not know what it was, but Lois was definitely in trouble. Her heartbeat was no longer beating in sync with his, and their connection had weakened. It had happened suddenly. One moment she was fine, the next she was confused, afraid, and in pain. He could not feel her physical pain, but he knew her emotions well enough now to know her emotional response to pain, even though she hadn't had many run ins with pain over the past few days.

"Honey, what is it?"

Clark looked to his mother, the fear apparent in his eyes. "It's Lois. Something has happened to her. Something bad."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. This is Lois we're talking about. I can feel her, remember? And she's in pain."

His mother's eyes widened, and fear gripped her as well. "In pain? Where was she last?"

"She was on her way to the school to talk to Chloe when I came in. I need to go find her. Can I take the truck?"

"Yes. But Clark, she could be anywhere by now."

"I have to try! Can you call around and ask if anyone has seen her? I'll have my cell with me." When she nodded, Clark grabbed the keys and ran out to the truck, then took off down the road as fast as he could manage.

* * *

"No? You haven't seen him? Okay, thank you. Yes, call me if he shows up. Thank you. Bye bye." Martha hung up the phone and sighed. She had made seven phone calls so far, and no one had seen "Clark". Where was she? As if reading her thoughts, Lois entered the house.

"Lois! We've been worried sick. Clark's out there right now looking for you. Are you alright?" She took several steps towards her, then stopped suddenly. Something was wrong. Different.

"I'm fine. But I need you to tell me where the other stone is."

"What?"

"The other stone. The one Clark took from Lex in his airplane. Where does he keep it?"

Martha opened her mouth to answer, then stopped herself. Lois knew where the other stone was. She had been to the caves and seen it herself. Whoever she was talking to, it wasn't Lois.

"Who are you?"

The intruder took a step towards her, and his facial expression changed from a calm one to an angry one. "Where does he keep it!" he shouted.

"I don't know."

"I guess I don't need you, then," he said as he closed the distance between them in an instant and grabbed her by the arm. "Not conscious, anyway. You will make a good bargaining chip, though." He hit her on the head with his other hand, knocking her out, then threw her over his shoulder and sped out of the house.

* * *

Clark entered the Torch and looked around the room. It was a disaster. Papers were everywhere, a chair was broken, and one whole side of the room looked like it had gotten hit by a truck, or some other large object. Clark walked over to that side of the room, and noticed a small pool of blood near the impact. It hadn't been a truck that had been thrown at the wall. It had been a person. What had just happened?

"Clark?"

Clark jumped at the sound of the voice behind, then quickly turned around to face him. He had seen him a few times around the school, but never been introduced. The kid tended to keep to himself.

"Who are you?"

"My name's Greg. I got into a fight with Lois a few days ago."

The light went on in Clark's head. But he was calling him Clark and Lois Lois. How did he know?

"You didn't get into a fight with me. I haven't been in any fights recently."

"Not you, Clark. Lois, in your body. I know about your switch."

"What do you want?"

"To help. I'm in a hole. I got in with the wrong crowd, and now I can't get out from under them. But I just can't stand by and watch people get hurt anymore."

"What are you talking about?"

"Someone hired me to punch Lois in the face. And watch you at the hospital, to make sure you died from that poison. And now I've been told to track you down and call a number when I find you. But I can't let anyone else get hurt. I have to help."

The anger that had filled Clark's eyes lessened some at these words. "Help? How?"

"Lois and Chloe have been kidnapped. I know where they are."

Kidnapped? But how? Did the person he worked for know about Kryptonite, too? "Where are they?"

"It's just outside of town, in an abandoned relief center or something. I've got a map here."

Clark took it, and instantly recognized the location. It was a former LuthorCorp building that had been bought several weeks ago by some foreign company. He had met Lex there earlier in the year to confront him on yet another one of his projects gone wrong.

Clark turned to leave, but Greg's voice stopped him. "Clark?" Clark turned around to face him. "There's something you need to know. Lois isn't in your body anymore. Somehow she switched with her. Probably the same way you two did."

"She?"

"The woman I work for. I don't know her name. Some old red-headed chick. So be careful. She's got all of your powers now."

Clark nodded. "Thank you." He turned to leave.

"And Clark?"

"Yes?"

"Good luck."

* * *

Lois groaned. She felt like she had gotten run over by a truck. Her legs hurt, her back hurt, her head hurt. She hurt everywhere.

"You're awake! Don't try to move. You're not in very good shape."

Lois slowly opened her eyes and started to sit up, ignoring Mrs. Kent's advice, then instantly regretting it. Sitting up only made it hurt worse. She quickly laid back down and tried to speak.

"What happened?" At least her voice was still working...or perhaps not, as she realized it wasn't her voice. Or Clark's.

"I don't know. You were unconscious when I woke up. Mrs. Teague brought us here."

"What? Who?"

"Mrs. Teague," a voice that she didn't recognize said. Lois slowly turned her head to the sound of the voice, and saw a middle-aged woman with red hair. She sat on a medical cot and was absentmindedly rubbing her wrists.

"Who are you?"

"Lois, it's me. Chloe."

Everything fell into place. Of course. Mrs. Teague, whoever she was, had switched bodies with Chloe using the stone, then switched with her. And somehow Mrs. Kent had been dragged into it too. If it was really Mrs. Kent.

"And who are you? Lana?" she said, addressing Mrs. Kent.

She laughed. "No, I'm still me."

Lois nodded. It didn't hurt to be sure. This was all very confusing. "Who is this Mrs. Tea person again?"

"Mrs. Teague, not Tea. She's Jason's mother," Chloe said.

"Jason. You mean Clark's football coach?" She nodded. "What does she want?"

This time Mrs. Kent answered. "The stones. She wants the stones of power. And probably Clark's powers, too."

Lois put her hand to her head, and attempted to sit up once again, this time with a little bit more success. It took her a few moments to process what Mrs. Kent had said. Clark. Where was Clark? She quickly closed her eyes and focused on him. He was deathly afraid, yet totally determined as well. And his emotions were getting stronger. She sent him a quick encouragement to let him know that she was alright, at least for the time being, then opened her eyes and turned to the two older women, one of whom wasn't really older.

"He's coming."

"What?" Mrs. Kent and Chloe said at the same time.

"Clark. He's coming for us. He's really close."

Before anyone could respond, a large commotion was heard just outside the door, followed by the ruffling of keys, and the opening of the door.

"Told ya. Hi Clark." She smiled wide for him.

Clark looked at her sternly. "Did you have to bring my mother into this too?" It was said in all seriousness, but Lois could feel the humor and relief that was hiding behind it.

"Hey! This wasn't my fault, for once. I had absolutely nothing to do with any of this. Now let's get out of here, Smallville, before Mrs. Teague comes back."

"So she is the one behind all of this." It was a statement, not a question.

"Duh! All you have to do is look at me to know that. Hello! Am I not standing right here in her body?"

Clark laughed, then rushed to Lois to help her up. "Yes, Chloe, you are right, as always. Now let's get you all out of here." He pulled Lois' arm around his shoulder, and put his hand around her waist. His mother took up the other side of her, and together they helped her out of the room. Even with their help, she struggled to continue standing. She didn't think anything was broken, but she had enough bruises to last her a lifetime.

Lois' eyes widened in surprise as she exited the room. Two guards, both armed, lie on the ground, unconscious. "I'm impressed, Smallville," she managed weakly.

"Shhh. You're in no condition to talk."

"Sorry, you're not going to get me to shut up that easily, Smallville. It takes a lot to shut up a Lane."

Clark began to respond, then stopped, abruptly. Feeling his fear, Lois looked up. There, standing between them and the exit, was Mrs. Teague.

* * *

"Just where do you think you are going?"

Anger filled Clark. How dare she threaten his family. He looked to Chloe intently, motioning with his head to take his side next to Lois. Once she had, he took several steps forward, putting himself between those he loved and the person responsible for their pain.

"I am taking my family home. Now get out of my way."

Despite her powers, Mrs. Teague took a step back, such was the confidence and determination in Clark's voice. But the hesitation only lasted a moment. She laughed loudly, closed the distance between them, and threw him across the room into the wall with such force that he crashed completely through it.

"Do you really think you can stop me?" Then she laughed again, stopping suddenly when she saw Clark get up, walk through the hole in the wall, and approach her like nothing had happened. Her eyes widened in surprise.

Clark's anger increased, and his determination grew stronger. He once again placed himself between Mrs. Teague and his family, and looked her straight in the eye. "Where is the stone?"

Her eyes drifted quickly down to her jacket pocket, then back up to Clark's, realizing her mistake. As he began to move towards her, she made the first move, swinging a punch towards his head. He ducked, grabbed her hand with his own, and hurled her across the room, sending her through the wall on the other side of the room.

Chloe, Lois, and his mother all looked at him in complete shock. "You've been holding out on me, Smallville."

He looked back at her and smirked, only to find a fist coming towards his head once again when he straightened it. Unable to react quickly enough, he took the blow to the face and hit the ground hard. Mrs. Teague was on top of him quickly, and began pounding on him. Clark blocked each blow with his arms, then managed to get a blow of his own off, sending her flying off of him. He stood up and prepared himself for her next attack.

It didn't come. Mrs. Teague, realizing she wasn't going to prevail, took up a different strategy, and super speeded behind his mother, grabbing her around the neck.

"Stop! One move and I'll kill her. Now tell me where the second stone is."

"Alright. Don't hurt her. I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"Now we're getting somewhere. Where is the stone you stole from Lex Luthor?"

Clark smiled, then opened the palm of his left hand, revealing the white stone. Mrs. Teague released her grip on his mother in surprise, and Clark's resolve hardened. He was going to end this, once and for all.

Clark held out his right hand, summoning the stone to him. It tore through the jacket she was wearing and came to his hand. Once it had reached him, a white light shone from the stone, hitting Mrs. Teague, Lois, Chloe, and himself. Dizziness overwhelmed him, and he closed his eyes. Then the darkness came, and all four of them fell to the ground.


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter Twenty-Three**

The world slowly swirled into view as Lois opened her eyes. Once the room had stopped spinning, she sat up and looked around, preparing herself for anything. Chloe, Clark, and Mrs. Teague were still passed out on the ground, while Mrs. Kent was hovered over them, apparently checking to see if they were alright. A nagging thought lurked at the back of her mind, telling her that something was not quite right about the situation, but she could not pinpoint the reason behind it.

Upon noticing that Lois was awake, Mrs. Kent hurried to her side. "Clark, are you okay?"

Clark? Why would she call her Clark? Then it hit her. Duh! Why hadn't she seen it before? A smile spread across her face. She was back. Whatever Clark had done had reversed the transfer, and she was back in her body. She wanted to scream. Finally! She had been Clark Kent for quite long enough, and it was about time that things returned to normal. Not that anything would be normal between her and Clark ever again. She smiled wider. They would just have to find a new normal.

A groan across the room drew her attention. The others were slowly waking up, Mrs. Teague included. If everyone had indeed been returned to normal, that is. The stones! Lois quickly put the white and black stone into her left and right pocket, respectively. She wasn't about to let things get out of control again. There had been enough body switching for one day, and she was fairly happy with her current condition.

Mrs. Kent offered her her hand, which she took and pulled herself up with. Then they walked over to the others, although Lois did so warily, prepared to take action if she needed to. What were they going to do about Mrs. Teague?

Clark sat up first, then smiled widely when he saw Lois. "It worked." She smiled back at him. _Yes, it did, Smallville. Yes it did._ His smile quickly faded, and his feelings changed from joy and happiness to concern and worry.

"What is it, Smallville?"

Clark looked away from her and towards the small form resting beside him. After a few moments, he returned her gaze. "Chloe's hurt badly. I need to get her to the hospital as quickly as possible. Can you cover for me?"

"Of course. Go."

He effortlessly lifted Chloe up in his arms, who groaned slightly at the action, and sped out of the room. Lois smiled. That was her Smallville. Always more concerned for others than for himself. Always trying to save the day. No wonder she loved him so much.

* * *

Genevieve Teague slowly fought her way back to consciousness and clutched her head with her hand. It was throbbing horridly, and she couldn't for the life of her figure out why. _Where am I?_ She opened her eyes and looked around. She recognized the location. It was a research facility she had bought from the Luthor's two days ago to continue her research into the stones. But a few things had changed since then. Like the large hole on either side of the wall. It looked like something had exploded. What had happened here? And, more importantly, how did she get here?

It was only then that Genevieve noticed she was not alone in the room. Two women stood not far from her. The older one she recognized immediately. Mrs. Kent. Lionel had a weak spot for her, so she knew who she was. The younger woman, however, didn't immediately register. She had seen her before, she was sure, but she didn't quite know where. Something was missing that prevented her from making the connection.

"Mrs. Teague? Are you alright?"

She looked the young woman up and down, then nodded. The girl's posture suggested military training, and from the look in her eyes, she could tell that she wasn't someone to be trifled with. She could definitely handle herself in a fight. And from her stance she appeared to be expecting one. What had happened here?

"Mother."

Genevieve turned around at the voice of her son. Jason had just entered the front door with his girlfriend, and they both appeared to be angry. Very angry. What had she done now?

"Mother," Jason said again, "what have you done?"

"I don't...remember. I don't even know how I got here."

"You came here yourself and kidnapped my friends in some crazy scheme to get your hands on the stones," Lana said. "And you nearly got everyone killed. Clark's taking Chloe to the hospital as we speak, from injuries you caused."

Clark. Of course. That was the missing piece of the puzzle. She turned around to confirm her suspicions. Yes, it was Lois, the girl Clark always seemed to be around. She didn't believe she had ever seen either of them without the other, in fact. They were the typical joined-at-the-hip high school couple.

Her thoughts drifted from her new realization to the information Lana had given her. She could understand why she would have kidnapped Martha Kent. It was one way for her to get to Lionel Luther, who had the stone from China. But why would she kidnap Lois and Chloe as well? What tied them to this?

Of course. She must have found out that Clark had the stone. She had to hand it to the boy. He was a lot more intelligent than she had given him credit for, if he had ended up with it. But kidnapping all three of them would have taken some planning. She would have never acted on information of this nature right away. She was a patient woman. How much had she forgotten?

"If you ever touch my friends again, I will kill you out right. Do you understand me?"

She hid a smirk. So the pink princess had finally developed a spine. Perhaps Jason was right about her after all.

"Where are the stones?"

Lana looked at her in disgust, and Jason's expression held a similar emotion. "They were destroyed, Mother. The stones were not meant for you, and you took them for yourself anyway. When you combined them, they exploded, taking out half the room in the process. And you nearly killed a young girl in the process. I don't know who you are anymore, and I'm ashamed to be called your son."

"No..." The stones. They were gone. A lifetime of work, wasted. An obsession, squelched. And a son, lost. What had she done?

Genevieve slid down to her knees and put her head in her hands. She had wasted her whole life on her obsession with the stones, put innocent lives at stake, and worst of all, ruined her relationship with her only son in the process. She had really made a mess of things, and there didn't seem to be any way to fix it. If only she had one more chance to make things right, one more chance to reestablish her relationship with her son. But after what she had done, she didn't believe that was possible. Despite her cutthroat nature, her son had grown up into a good man. And she believed she had just lost him forever.

"Come on Jason, let's go," Lana said as she took Jason's hand in her own. "I want to see how Chloe is doing."

She looked up as Jason gave her one last look of disappointment and anger, then turned around and followed his girlfriend out of the building. Lois and Martha followed. A single tear fell from her face, and she closed her eyes in pain. Not from the headache she still had, but from the thought of losing her son forever. How could she have ignored him for so long? And now it was too late. She had missed her chance to be his mother, and had forfeited the right to call him her son. All for what? Knowledge? Power? What did those things matter when compared to the worth of her own flesh and blood?

She was going to fix this. She didn't know how, but she would. Her passion was refocused. Somehow, someway, she would regain Jason's respect. She would get her second chance. She had to. There was nothing else in her life worth living for.

* * *

"Would you stop that!"

Clark stopped pacing for a moment and turned to look at Lois. "I'm just worried about her, Lois."

"I know you are, Smallville. I am too. But you're going to drive me insane with all of your pacing. I love you, but this is ridiculous. You need to settle down. She'll be okay."

I love you. The words continued to resonate in his mind, over and over. Lois Lane loved him. Wow. A large smile spread across his face. How had that every happened? How had she ever fallen in love with him? He was the luckiest man alive. The most beautiful, most amazing girl on the planet loved him. He didn't deserve to be so happy or so blessed.

"Really?"

"Yes, really. She'll be fine."

Huh? What was she talking about? Oh. Chloe. Right. "No, you really love me?"

"Oh."

Clark waited for her to continue. When she didn't right away, fear gripped him. Perhaps she really hadn't meant it. He closed his eyes to hold back the tears that were threatening. Then he chuckled to himself. It appeared that being a woman had changed him permanently. He had never been this weepy prone before.

Clark felt a hand on his chin, and he looked down to see Lois standing in front of him, her eyes full of concern and care. Or perhaps it wasn't in her eyes at all, but in her heart. He was thankful to whatever powers were controlling the universe for allowing them to keep their connection, even past the transfer back.

Lois waited until she had Clark's eyes in hers, then she began. "Smallville, listen to me. I love you. Deeply. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone in my entire life. You are my everything. You give me strength, you're the most thoughtful and caring person I know, and your heart for people is bigger than anyone's. You are the greatest man I have ever known.

"Sure, you annoy the hell out of me at times. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you for who you are, right now, and that is never going to change. I'm sorry that I haven't told you this before, but there hasn't really been a good moment for it until now. You are my life, Smallville. You are my world. I'm not complete without you. So don't you ever think otherwise."

Clark's heart filled with joy, admiration, and love. How had he ever earned the love of a woman this amazing?

"I want to kiss you, Smallville. Can I kiss you?" He could only nod. Words, of any kind, escaped him at the moment.

Lois closed the distance between them, pressing her body against his and wrapping her arms around his neck. Her eyes were locked with his own, and he could see and feel the love behind them. As her face neared his own, her eyes closed and her lips were drawn to his, as his own lips followed suit. And then their lips met. Sparks flew. Worlds exploded. Everything faded from view. No one else mattered. No one else even existed. It was only him and Lois. Lois and him. Lois and Clark.

Their kiss wasn't deep, nor was it passionate. But it was real. Soft. Gentle. Loving. The single greatest moment of his entire life. He could feel everything. All of her love, all of her thankfulness, and all of her happiness. And all of it was in greater clarity and detail than anything he had ever felt from her before. Her world was exploding as fast as his own was. And in that moment he knew. He never wanted to let her go. He never wanted to live another day without her. He was ready to commit his life to her, for the rest of his life. He loved her more than life itself, a life that didn't seem worth living without her. He wanted her to be his wife, and he wanted to be her husband.

Their lips slowly parted, and Lois leaned back just a bit so she could look into his eyes. "I love you, Smallville. And I always will."

"I love you too, Lois. And I always will."

He rested his forehead on her own, and she playfully gave him a few butterfly kisses, then giggled uncontrollably. He joined her in her laughter, then let a large smile drift across his face. Her smile grew even larger, and she released her hold on his neck and took his hand.

"I guess we should go check on Chloe now, huh?"

Clark nodded. "Yeah, I suppose we should." He turned towards Chloe's room, then stopped suddenly. His face turned beet red. There, standing in front of them, was his mother, Lana, and Jason, all with amused looks on their faces. Clark gulped loudly, and Lois' face began to redden as well.

"How long have you three been standing there?" Lois asked nervously.

Lana smiled widely for her. "Long enough."

* * *

Lois still could not believe she had confessed her love to Clark in front of everyone. It was like some scene out of a sappy romantic comedy. And it was really, really embarrassing. One of the most personal and honest moments of her entire life had been placed on display for all to see. The moment was about her and Clark, and it should have been just her and Clark. Just Lois and Clark. That had a nice ring to it, actually.

Lois tried out another name combination. Lois Kent. No, that didn't work. Lois Lane Kent. Hhmmm...she could live with that. She shook her head and rolled her eyes. How had she ever been reduced to a lovestruck schoolgirl? Easy. Two words. Clark Kent. The man she would give up anything to be with, yet who wanted to be with her, no strings attached. The best man she had ever known.

"Lois?"

Lois shook herself from her thoughts and rushed to Chloe's bedside, taking her hand in her own. "Hi there, baby. How do you feel?"

"Like I got ran over by a truck."

"Or thrown against a wall." Chloe looked at her quizzically. "That's what happened to you. Clark, or rather Mrs. Teague in Clark's body, threw me, er...you, across the room. And I know what you mean. I felt terrible when I woke up too."

"How did Clark manage to get us out of there anyway?"

"The other stone. Apparently it restores his powers, no matter what body he's in. It's only permanent in his body, though, so he had to have the stone in his hand during the whole fight."

"Oh..." she said, in what sounded like disappointment.

"How did you think he had done it?"

"Well, I...I sort of thought Clark had done it."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, he was in Lionel's body for what, a few hours? And he cured him of liver cancer. I just thought his essence or whatever made a bigger impact on your body than he let on."

Lois smiled widely.

"What?"

"Well, you're not wrong. About everything, anyway." When Chloe looked at her with confusion, Lois lifted up her shirt.

Chloe's mouth dropped. "Oh my..."

"I know. Isn't it insane? I haven't ever been in this good of shape. I don't think I could get in this good of shape even if I tried. On steroids, even. I mean look at these! I was in good shape before, but this...this is just amazing."

Lois heard a noise behind her, and turned around, staring face to face with Clark, whose eyes were as big as golf balls.

"I...uh..." He paused a moment, and Lois realized she still had her shirt up. She quickly pulled it back down, covering her bare chest. "I'll come back later." Then he turned around, shook his head, and walked back out the door.


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter Twenty-Four**

Lana walked up the last few steps to the top of Smallville Medical Center and opened the door. Clark was pacing back and forth, but stopped when the door closed behind her. He looked her way, and his face fell for a few seconds, before returning to normal, almost as if he had been expecting someone else.

"Oh hi Lana."

"Hey Clark. What are you doing out here?"

"I'm uh...trying to clear my mind."

Clear his mind? What exactly was there to clear? "Clark, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just that...well, I sort of just saw Lois topless."

"Oh..."

"Yeah, tell me about it. I did everything I could while I was in her body to respect her. I didn't look, not even once. And now, BAM! I go in to check on Chloe, and Lois is standing there with her shirt up. I don't even know what that was about. It really doesn't matter, I guess. It just seems like the whole universe is pushing us to move fast. And it's just hard. It's really really hard."

"Love is never easy. Look at me and Jason. We've been through so much over the last year. The stones, the lies, the Countess. Everything seemed like it was pushing to drive us apart. And for a moment, I thought it was over. He just couldn't be honest with me. And then he pulls a complete one-eighty on me, and tells me everything. How he grew up, how his mother is, what she put him through. Everything. And now look at me. More in love than ever, and engaged! I so didn't see that coming in a million years."

"He asked you to marry him?"

She smiled brightly, fingering the diamond ring on her left hand. "Yes! Can you believe it? He told me that it wasn't worth it anymore. He loves his mother, and wants to please her, but he couldn't stand to lose the one thing that made him realize how great life could be, and he didn't want to live another moment without me."

"That's really creepy."

"What? Creepy?"

"Yeah, what he told you. How he said he didn't want to live another moment without you. That's what I want to go downstairs and tell Lois right now. Great minds think alike, I guess. I really don't want to live another moment without her. But I always screw things up when I rush into them. And I don't want to do that this time. She's too important to me. We have to take things slow. We just have to. I love her too much to screw this up. I love her more than anything else in the world."

"Yes, Clark, we all know. Remember?"

Clark laughed a little, and Lana smiled. She was glad she was able to lighten the mood a bit. She would need a lighter mood if she was going to say what she had come up to say.

"Clark?"

"Yeah?"

"I actually came up here to talk to you about something else. Something not related to love at all."

"What did you want to talk about?"

Lana took a deep breath. "The stones."

"Oh." A slight pause. "Lana, I can't-"

"Clark, I'm not pushing you to tell me anything. I actually want to put all of this behind me, and focus on my new future with Jason. With the idea you gave us when you were on your way to the hospital, his mother won't be bothering us about the stones anymore. She thinks they're destroyed, and Jason's going to make sure the Luther's believe it too.

"I still don't get how you knew she wouldn't remember, though."

"Well, like I said before, this isn't the first time this has happened to me. When I switched with Lionel, he didn't remember anything either."

It still didn't explain everything, but for once Lana wasn't going to push. She had finally realized that Clark had good reasons for the secrets he kept. Mrs. Teague had found out about some of them, and everyone in Clark's life had suffered because of it. Some things were better left unsaid.

"Makes sense. I uh...have something for you." Lana paused for a moment and shuffled through her purse, then pulled out a red handkerchief. "Somehow I know this was meant for you."

Clark's eyes widened when he saw the silver stone in her hand. "You've had the stone from China?"

She shook her head. "Jason did. He gave it to me. And now I'm giving it to you."

Clark accepted the stone and placed it in his jacket, then looked her in the eye. "Thank you, Lana. I'll make sure this never falls into the wrong hands."

"I know you will, Clark. I know you will. Now let's go back downstairs and check on Chloe."

She turned to go, but Clark hesitated. "Lana?"

"Yes?"

"I'm really happy for you. I've always thought Jason was a great guy."

"Thanks, Clark. That means a lot. Shall we?"

Clark nodded, and followed her to the stairwell. On the way down, Lana smiled widely. The stone was taken care of, and the last thing that stood between her and Jason had been removed. This really was happening, wasn't it? She was going to marry the man of her dreams. How cool was that?

* * *

"I can't believe that just happened." 

Chloe shook her head at Lois' antics. She had been pacing back and forth since Clark had left the room.

"Come on, Lois. It wasn't like he hadn't seen it already. He was in your body for four days, after all."

Lois paused her pacing and looked Chloe in the eye. "Have you met Clark? Poster boy for the purity of America? He wouldn't even take a shower the first few days, and when he finally did, he kept his eyes closed the whole time. Clark hasn't seen anything. Or hadn't." She began pacing again. "Oh, this is not good. Not good at all."

"Okay, so Clark has now sampled the merchandise. I really don't understand the what the big deal is."

"Chloe, you don't get it!" Lois yelled. "Have you been listening to a word I've said?"

"Hey! This isn't my fault. You don't have to yell."

"I'm sorry, Chlo'. I just..." Chloe watched as Lois' expression changed from one of anger to one near tears in only moments. "I...I know Clark. I could lose him over this. And I just can't lose him. He's become everything to me." Lois' composure broke, and the tears began to fall.

"Come here, cuz." Lois came to her bed and Chloe wrapped her left arm around her. It was one of only a few parts of her that didn't hurt. She began to stroke her hair. Lois was overreacting, but it didn't matter. She was hurting, and she needed comfort. "It's going to be fine, Lois. It's going to be fine. Clark's not going to leave you."

"But he might, Chlo'. He might. He...he loves me, and doesn't want to rush...things. You don't know what my barest touch does to him, Chloe. I feel it, every single time. It's so hard for him. It's so very hard. He shouldn't have seen me like that yet. He's not ready. Not yet. The kiss was one thing. But this? What if he...what if he needs to take a step back? What if he closes off to me? I couldn't handle it, Chloe. I couldn't handle it. I can't lose him."

"Lois, you can't dwell on what might happen. Go talk to him. Sort it out. Tell him how you feel." Lois laughed at that. "What's funny about that?"

"Well, he already knows how I feel."

"Oh." Then Chloe laughed too. "Yes, I suppose he does. Shouldn't he be coming to your rescue right about now then? After all, you are crying."

"Were," Lois said, wiping her eyes. "Were crying. And yeah, I think he's on his way here now."

A knock was heard coming from the door. Both of them laughed. "You can come in, Smallville."

* * *

Clark opened the door slowly, then paused just before taking a step inside. "You're decent?" 

"Yes, Smallville. Now come in."

Clark opened the door the rest of the way and stepped in. There was no reason to delay any longer. Not when Lois had been hurting only a few moments ago. Once in, he surveyed the room. Chloe was still lying in her bed, propped up by several pillows, and Lois was sitting on the edge of the bed beside her. Both had an arm wrapped around the other, and he could tell that Lois had shed tears.

He hurried to her side and took her hand, finding a chair and sitting down on it. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. I'll be fine."

"Do you want to tell me what was wrong?" Lois started to respond, then hesitated. Clark could almost feel the walls slowly coming up around her heart. She was shutting him out. And that usually meant she was afraid of getting hurt. He needed to say something to assure her he wasn't going to allow that to happen. "Lois, I love you." He closed the distance between them and kissed her gently on the lips, then pulled back and looked deep into her beautiful hazel eyes, which were glowing. "I'll always love you. Nothing you have to say will change that. Now can you tell me what was bothering you?"

"I was worried I'd lose you. That seeing what you saw earlier would make you pull away from me. And I don't think I could handle that."

"I couldn't stand to lose you either, Lois. I'm not going to tell you that what I saw isn't going to make things harder for me, because it is. But that doesn't mean I'm going to stop trying. We'll pull through this...together."

Lois just smiled for him. But her smile told him more than a thousand words could relate. She was better. She trusted him again. She loved him. They were okay. It was amazing how much a simple smile could say.

"Get a room, you two."

Clark rolled his eyes and sighed. Did every single one of his and Lois' moments have to be exposed for the whole world to see?

* * *

It had been a crazy day. And that was an understatement. She had woken up to Clark Kent holding a mug of coffee for her, just like her dream the day before. But she had rejected the dream then as just that. A dream. There was no possibility of Clark Kent ever falling in love with her, and he definitely wouldn't ask her to marry him. Then Clark had pulled a rabbit out of a hat and told her she was admitted to Met-U. Where he had gotten the hat was still a mystery to her. Then there had been his sudden departure to Pete's, his accident that hadn't really been an accident, his near death and then sudden recovery, and his admission of love. And all that had happened in only the first few hours. 

The next few hours hadn't been any less crazy. If anything, they had gotten crazier. How many people could say they'd been three different people in one day, after all? Not anyone sane, that's for sure. But that was Smallville for ya. The town had always been a beacon of weirdness. It hadn't been the first time she had been someone else. Or the second time, for that matter.

But the day hadn't stopped there, either. Yet another one of the most important people in her life had gotten hurt, only it had happened while she was inhabiting said person's body. And then her and Clark had shared their first real kiss, sharing the most beautiful and wonderful moment of her entire life. Which nearly everyone had been privy to. Then, only a few minutes later, Clark had become privy to something even more private, followed by yet another private moment between them that again hadn't been very "private".

To top everything off, Lana and Jason had announced their engagement as everyone had been preparing to leave the hospital. And this, just a day after Lana had tried to get Clark to go out with her again. Lana's turnaround was almost nearly as crazy as her and Clark's relationship. But theirs did take first place. Not a chance, to first kiss, to topless, all in one day? It had to take first prize.

And now she was sitting in his bed, in her body, waiting for him to muster up the courage to talk to her about something that was bothering him. And this only a few hours after she had had to do the exact same thing. Yep, it had definitely been a crazy day. Could it possibly get any crazier?

Clark reached into his jacket and pulled something out of it, then held it up for her to see. Lois' eyes widened. The third stone. He had it. _Why did I even ask?_


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter Twenty-Five**

"Are you sure about this, Clark?"

Clark looked at the woman beside her in awe. She wanted him to do this, he knew. She wanted him to accept his destiny and come to terms with who he was. Since the moment she had found out about his heritage, she had been trying to help him come to terms with it. And now, after everything that had happened, he finally had accepted himself. The stones were meant for him, and rejecting that any longer would only lead to even more heartache. The world seemed to fall apart every time he had gone against Jor-El. And even though he was gone, his will still lived on. And he no longer believed that that will was for him to rule. It simply didn't follow from what he had learned of Jor-El's character. Every single time he had intervened, it had been to protect, not to harm. And that was what he believed he had been sent to Earth for: to protect. And that was a destiny he _could_ live with.

Clark Kent had accepted himself for who he was, which was just what Lois had wanted all along. Yet despite this, she still took the time to make sure this was what he wanted, not what she wanted. She was simply amazing. He was the luckiest man alive to have found her.

"Yes, Lois. I'm sure. I want to do this. This is what I was sent here for. And I'm not going to back down now." Clark placed the key in its slot on the table, just to emphasize his point.

"Good. Just know that I'll be here every step of the way."

Clark felt her squeeze the hand that was currently in his own, and he squeezed it lightly in return. "Thank you, Lois. Do you want to do the honors?"

"Sure." Lois stepped up to the stone table in front of her and placed the crystal stone in its place on the center of the table. A deep yellow color emerged from the symbol in the stone, almost as if it was flaming to life. The light faded a few moments later. Clark placed the black stone in its place left of it, and a blue light shone from the symbol in the stone, a deep blue that greatly resembled the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Honduras where it had been found. Lois then pulled out the final stone, but hesitated.

"Do you want to do this one together?"

"Do you really think that is a good idea? Remember what happened last time we touched one of the stones at the same time?"

"Oh. Yeah. Good point. Well here goes nothing." Lois placed the silver stone in its place below the other two, and each of the stones lit up in turn. Blue, yellow, and red. Water, fire, and air. The elements were together at last, and the colors of each stone began to meld together, changing each stone at the molecular level. The black faded, the silver cleared, as each stone joined into one. A final wave of light shone from the stone, forever imprinting those three colors in Clark's mind, before it faded completely, revealing a single, diamond like stone.

"Wow! Now that was cool! Have you ever..." Lois paused as the new stone began to float off the table, into the air. It hovered in front of them, spinning slowly. A very bright, bluish white light began shining from behind them, and in a move that could only be described as instinct, Clark reached out and grabbed the stone with his right hand, still holding Lois' hand securely with his left one.

The light began to envelope them, as energy began to course through Clark's body. Clark screamed, not so much from pain as from an overload of his senses. The light, sound, and information being released was overwhelming, to much for even his senses to handle. Clark closed his eyes, attempting to block all of it out. Just as suddenly as it had began, it stopped. Everything faded, and Clark opened his eyes, surprised at what he saw. As far as even his eye could see, in every direction, the landscape was covered in snow.

"Now _that _far exceeded cool. That was freakin' awesome!"

Clark smiled. Count on Lois to always put things in perspective. The fact that they were in the middle of the arctic paled in comparison to how great the show had been. Definitely.

* * *

Lois shivered, the current temperature catching up to her. Clark noticed it, took off his jacket, and helped her put it on. She smiled a thank you for him, then took a look around. Snow. Everywhere. For miles and miles around. They were in the middle of nowhere. Why had they been transported to the middle of nowhere? And why did it have to be so freakin' cold?

She turned to Clark, who was studying the stone intently, oblivious to the cold. But of course he would be. If he could shrug off temperatures in the thousands with ease, why not extreme cold, too? Then it hit her. Every single time he had complained about cold showers, he hadn't really been bothered by it. She was so not letting him get away with that. She was about to comment about it when she noticed Clark harden with resolve. And then he did something completely unexpected. He chucked the stone like a football, sending it flying through the air.

"Clark! What did you do that for?"

"I...don't know. It just felt right."

"Pfft. Typical guy response. Violence solves everything. Do you know how long its going to take to find it?

"Lois?"

"I mean the stone is white, and we're surrounded by white everywhere. It would take like a million years to track the stone down now. Especially with how far you threw it. I mean, gawd, what were you thinking? Were you even thinking at all?"

"Lois."

"I can't believe you just threw it like that. After all that effort to bring the stones together, you just chucked it. Now what are we going to do? We're stuck out in the middle of nowhere, and we don't even have the stone. How are you going to learn about your destiny now? I can't believe you-"

"Lois!"

"What?"

"Look."

Lois glanced towards the direction he was pointing, and her mouth dropped. Where there had once been only snow, now there stood a gigantic assembly of crystals, forming a large fortress that only could be described as magnificent.

"Holy ice cycles!" Clark laughed. "What?"

"You're amazing. Have I ever told you that?"

Lois elbowed him in the ribs, smirking in return. "You know you love me, Smallville. Now let's go check out the huge ice factory." She held out her hand, and he took it. Together, they walked towards the alien structure that had formed before them.

* * *

"_Welcome, my son._" The voice echoed through out the enclave, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

"Jor-El? I thought you were destroyed."

"_Lois removed my connection to the caves through her actions against me, but my connection to you was never broken._"

Lois' face turned red, even with the harsh conditions of her environment. "Yeah...uh...sorry about that. Things didn't exactly turn out the way I had wanted them to."

"_You are forgiven, Lois Lane. Your actions were driven by love, a love that Kal-El will need if he is to fulfill his destiny._"

"And what destiny is that?" Lois asked.

"_Kal-El is destined for greatness. The people of Earth are weak, yet can be strong. They need a guiding light to show them the way. Kal-El's destiny fulfills that need._

"_But you must be prepared, Kal-El. Strength and preparation are needed if you are to survive the trials to come._"

"What must I do?"

"_Study with diligence, my son._" A clear beam of light enveloped Clark, and Kryptonian symbols began to hover in front of Clark's face. "_Only then will you be prepared to face the trials to come._"

Lois looked at Clark, who seemed to be oblivious to the world around him. So this was his destiny. To prepare himself for the trials to come, whatever they might be, and guide the human race to see its true potential. She had always known he was not meant to rule or conquer. His heart was to big and to loving for a future like that.

Lois sat down on a rise on the ground, and wrapped her arms around her. She was happy for Clark, but what of her? Was she just supposed to sit here and twiddle her thumbs while she waited for him to finish? It was cold. Very cold. She wouldn't survive very long in these conditions. Was he studying for a five point quiz, or for a final worth three-fourths of his grade? How long was this going to take?

Lois noticed some activity from a crystalline console near Clark's position, and stood up to investigate. A single crystal came out of the console and floated in front of her. She took it in her hand, and the area around her began to glow, warming her. Then she heard a voice echo in her mind, only it wasn't the voice of Jor-El.

"_Welcome, young daughter._"

"Who are you?"

"_I am Lara, mother of Kal-El. And I am here to guide you in the journey you must now take._"

"What journey? I thought this place was meant for Clark."

"_Your destiny is tied to Kal-El's, just as his is tied to yours. His fate, and the fate of the world, rests in your hands. The trials ahead will be great indeed, for you and for Kal-El. Kal-El does not have the strength to endure them alone, nor do you have the strength to endure them on your own. You will need each other if both of you are going to survive._"

"I love Clark. I would want to be with him whether our destinies were tied together or not. But we need more time. We barely know each other. You have to give us more time together."

"_Time will be given. Kal-El's training will only occur during the daylight hours to allow time for you to grow closer, if you choose to stay. A place has been prepared for you._"

A section of the fortress began to slide away, revealing a hidden room near the back. Lois went to investigate, her curiosity raised.

The room was very pleasant, and appeared to be warm. It was still of Kryptonian design, but it didn't suffer from the feeling of loneliness that the rest of the fortress seemed to radiate. Perhaps it was the warmth of the room, or perhaps it was the more traditional layout of the room. Either way, Lois felt at home nearly instantly. Then again, anywhere she was that was with Clark was home to her.

The left side of the room was filled with open cabinets, shelves, and stands. All made out of crystal, of course, but still attractive. There were places for food, pictures, and anything else she could think of to put up. Some of the shelves were even refrigerated, while the air around it was still warm and pleasant. How that worked, she had no idea.

The right side of the room appeared to be designed to be a living area. There were couches, of a sort, a round table with a round bench surrounding it, and several more smaller tables on either side of each couch. With a few personal touches, like some upholstery, blankets, or a tablecloth, and it could be really homey.

And then there was the bed, dead and center. Bed. As in singular. _Great. I don't think Smallville and I are quite ready for that yet._ It was a good thing there was a couch. She smiled. Just like old times.

"_Is it to your satisfaction?_"

"Yes. But I still don't understand my part in all of this. What am I supposed to do here?"

"_That is up to you. The entirety of Kryptonian knowledge is available for your study, if you wish to study it. You are not, however, required to stay. Kal-El will be allowed to visit you once every Earth moon, if you return, and you will be allowed to visit him once during that same time period._"

"How long is his training going to take?"

"_Until he is ready. The period of time is unknown. It will be several Earth moons, at the very least. Perhaps a few cycles, or more._"

"So basically my destiny is to stay with Clark and help him through what is to come?"

"_No. The choice to be with Kal-El must be yours alone. The decision will not be forced upon you. You must remain close to him, but your friendship is all that is required. The journey that you must take must be your own. This is the choice I am here to guide you through. I will answer any questions that you may have._"

Lois liked Lara a lot more than her husband. She was straightforward, honest, and caring. Honest and straightforward being the key differences. Or perhaps just straightforward. Jor-El had been fairly honest, although he was far to cryptic for her liking. It did help her understand Clark a bit more, though. He could be cryptic and he could be honest and straightforward. But however he was, he was always caring.

Lois thought about the decision before her. Stay with Clark, and abandon her own dreams in the process, or follow her dreams and live her life, and see Clark sparingly, at best. What kind of a choice was that? It was simply to much, to soon. She loved Clark, with all of her heart, and she wanted to be with him more than anything else in the world. But she still didn't know where they stood. She'd only been with him for a few hours, after all. There was no way to know how well it would work out. Sure, she had thought about and dreamed about being married to him, but those had only been thoughts and dreams. And they had all been future tense, not centered around the present. And that, truly, was what Lara was asking her to decide. Did she want to commit to Clark, today, or did she want to go home, today, and barely see him?

"Do I have to decide right away?"

"_No. I realize this is a big decision. You may stay as long as you like, and take as long as you like to decide. But realize, if you decide to leave, you cannot change your mind later. Both your future and his depend on you making one choice or the other. If you leave, events will be set in motion that cannot be reversed, and you will be limited to seeing him only twice each moon._

"_Also, realize that the longer you stay, the harder it will be for you to be reintegrated back into your old life. So while you may stay as long as you like, it is in your best interest to decide on one course or the other soon._"

"I understand. I...uh...what would you do?"

"_That, I am afraid, is one piece of advice that I cannot give you. You must decide this for yourself. You must follow your own heart in this matter._

"_Do you have any more questions?_"

"Not at the moment."

"_Very well. If you require further clarification, simply touch the crystal again. Farewell, young daughter. May the light guide you._"

The crystal then stopped glowing, and Lois placed it in one of the cabinets, then sat down on the bed. How was she supposed to decide? The choice was far to much, far to soon. Give up her goals for the future in order to be with Clark, or give up everything but a friendship with Clark in order to have a life of her own. She had time, but as Lara had said, she didn't have much time. If she did go back, it would be to pursue a career in journalism, and she needed to get back in time to take the GED test she was scheduled for and enroll in classes for fall. A month. She had a month, at most, to decide. But a month was a month. There was no reason to rush into anything that she didn't have to.

Lois lied down on the bed, exhausted from all that she had gone through. It was very comfortable, even though it lacked any blankets to speak of. But blankets were not really required, as the room itself was warm enough. She closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, putting off any further thought of her current situation until morning.

* * *

History. Equations. Formulas. Poetry. Science. The entirety of Kryptonian research and thought, a society centuries if not millennium ahead of Earth, all compressed into slide after slide of knowledge. It was a lot to take in, even for Clark. He could spend years studying, and still not comprehend all of it. He was learning, and learning a lot. But it was slow going, compared to the amount of information there was to learn. How was he expected to learn all of this? Had all Kryptonians mastered all of this information?

The flow of information abruptly stopped, and it took Clark a few moments to slow down his mind enough to comprehend his surroundings. He was in the ice fortress that he and Lois had entered. He did not know how long he had been studying, but judging by the amount of light outside, it had been a few hours at least.

A small memory was lingering at the back of his mind. Something was not right. Something was not as he had left it. And then it hit him. Lois. Where was she?

"_Lois is safe, my son._"

"Where is she?"

"_In a room prepared for her at the far side of the fortress._"

"May I go to her?"

"_Yes, you may. You will be required to continue your studies when the sun rises, however._"

"I understand."

Clark looked around the cave, and noticed the room on the far side. It hadn't been there before. Or if it had, it had been concealed. When he arrived at the room, he found Lois asleep on a bed. He didn't want to wake her, but he did want to talk to her, too. His mind debated over what he should do for a few minutes, before he decided to let her be. She needed to sleep. It had been a long day, for both of them. He could use some shut eye as well, even though his mind likely wouldn't let him rest for a few more hours. It was still moving to fast for him to fall asleep.

Clark walked up to the bed and sat down, just watching her. She was so beautiful. She looked so peaceful. He was still amazed that she loved him. He still wasn't quite sure how that had happened. How had a girl as amazing as she was ever fallen in love with him, an alien from another planet with more issues, as she had said, than a kangaroo stuck in the north pole? However it had happened, he was very grateful.

Lois stirred slightly, and Clark felt the conflict inside of her, the peace that he had seen earlier disappearing. She was having a bad dream. Clark climbed into the bed and wrapped his arms around her, which calmed her down instantly. Holding her always seemed to calm her down.

Clark sighed a peaceful sigh and rested his head on the built in pillow, which was a soft as the bed. Then he took in her wonderful scent, and nuzzled his nose into her hair, all of his thoughts fading to the background. It was only him and her. Clark and Lois. Lois and Clark. The way it should be.

His eyes slowly slid shut, and he drifted off to sleep. Apparently Clark's presence wasn't the only one that had a calming effect.


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter Twenty-Six**

The fog slowly lifted from Lois' eyes, as she slowly drifted from her sleep. She slowly opened her eyes, and sighed peacefully. That had been one of the best nights sleep she had ever had. The Kryptonian bed was really miraculous.

Lois felt a small tingle on the back of her neck, as if a small breath had been released on it. It was only then when she realized that an arm was draped around her, and a hand was clasped in her own. Perhaps there was another reason why she had slept so well.

She slowly rolled over, and looked up at the sleeping form of Clark Kent. She wished she could wake up to him beside her every morning. Because this...this was heaven. This was life at its best. Clark Kent, the man she loved, beside her, hand in hand. This was what she would have to give up if she were to leave. And after this, could she ever return to a mere friendship?

But then she thought back to what she would lose if she didn't go back. Her life was finally back on track. She had been given another chance to show the world what she was made of. She had been given another chance to make a difference in the world, in her own way.

And then there was her family. Her biological family. The General would freak if she disappeared without a trace. Lucy had already done that, but at least he knew what had happened to her. He wouldn't know where Lois had gone, or even why. And then there was Lucy. She still believed there was a chance for her to straighten up. She had so much potential, and Lois wanted to make sure she achieved it. But she wouldn't be able to help her do that if she wasn't around.

And last but certainly not least, there was her real family. Mr and Mrs. Kent and Chloe. She would really miss them. Chloe was the only family she had ever really known, and she would miss her the most. But she would also miss Mrs. Kent's guidance and unconditional love, and Mr. Kent's honesty and support. Mrs. Kent was the mother she never had, and Mr. Kent gave her the motivation to better herself, to become more than she was. His was the pride she was willing to earn. She felt accepted and loved when she was around them. Clark was truly blessed to have them as parents, and she had been blessed to have been adopted into the family as well. And she had been adopted in, at least as far as they were concerned. She was part of their family. The Kent farm truly felt like home.

Her dreams. Her family. Her home. All of this, or Clark. Again, it felt too overwhelming to even consider. How was she supposed to choose?

Was Clark truly worth it? She didn't know. She hadn't been with him long enough to know. She didn't know how great or how bad their relationship could be. It was simply to soon. As Clark had once told her, a relationship was about finding out whether you were ready to make the commitment of marriage. And she hadn't been in the relationship long enough to know. And although committing to stay with him wasn't the same as committing to marriage, it was close. She would be giving up perhaps several years of her life to be with him, losing any and all contact with the outside world. She would be giving up all of that just for the chance that they might be great together. Was that chance worth the costs involved? Was she willing to give up everything to find out if they could be great together?

More importantly, was she willing to not take that chance? Was she willing to **not** pursue a relationship with Clark Kent that went further than friendship? Was she willing to accept just friendship?

Clark stirred a little bit, and slowly opened his eyes. She looked up into those deep baby blues, and found her answer. No, she was not willing to accept just friendship. Not without first finding out what they might have had. She had to take the chance. She had to find out how great they could be. A shot with Clark Kent was worth any sacrifice, any cost. She would regret not finding out far more than she would regret giving up a few years of her life. She needed to know what they could become.

Clark looked at her with love in his eyes, and smiled for her. Her heart melted. How had she ever considered giving him up? He leaned down and kissed her on her forehead, then leaned back so he could look her in the eyes.

"Good morning, beautiful. Did you sleep well?"

"Very well. I don't recall inviting you to sleep with me, though." He tensed a little, until he caught her wink. "Relax, Smallville. You're allowed to sleep with me anytime you want. No questions asked."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. Just don't expect more than sleep. I don't think either of us are ready for that yet."

"No, I don't suppose we are. After all, we did decide to take things slow."

"Yes, we did."

Conversation paused at this point, as each of them was content to simply enjoy the presence of the other. Lois pulled herself closer to Clark, snuggling up to his chest, and Clark wrapped his arms tighter around her, resting his chin on the top of her head. The moment lasted several minutes, and all the cares and worries each had simply faded from view.

It was Clark who broke the moment with a sigh. Lois could feel his worry, and pulled back to look at him.

"Smallville, what's worrying you?"

"What are we going to do about this?"

"About what?"

"Us. I'm going to have to begin my training again. And I'm going to have to bring you home. We just found each other. I don't want to lose you so soon."

"You won't, Smallville. I'm going to stay here with you. Jor-El told me that you would be allowed to stop your training every night, so I'll get to see you everyday."

"Oh. I thought this was just a one time thing, so that I could say goodbye."

"No, it isn't. And actually, it wasn't Jor-El that told me. It was Lara."

"My biological mother? You spoke to her?"

"We talked, yes. I like her a bit more than I like Jor-El, that's for sure."

"Can I...can I..."

"Talk to her? I don't see why not. I still have the crystal that activates her." She sat up, pulled herself off the bed, then pulled him up with her. "Come on." He smiled, and she felt the excitement that was radiating from him. And why not? He was getting the chance to meet the mother he had never known. She would be just as excited to get that same chance.

* * *

Clark couldn't believe it. He was going to get to talk to Lara, his biological mother. He had always dreamed of meeting her, but he had never actually thought he would get the chance. Martha Kent was and always would be his true mother, but Lara held the key to questions he had long wanted the answer to, but had been unable to ask Jor-El, who he had never really considered a father. There was just something about getting to know your biological parents that somehow helped you to understand your own life. Or at least that was what he hoped.

"I can go, if you want."

Clark looked at Lois, and held her hand just a little bit tighter. "No, I want you here. You are part of my life now. You should be able to share moments like these with me."

She smiled for him, and squeezed his hand a little tighter as well. "Thank you."

"So how does this work?" he asked, motioning to the crystal.

"Just touch it."

"That seems to be the answer to everything, doesn't it?"

She laughed. "Yes, I suppose it is. With Kryptonian technology, at the very least."

His heart jumped, just like it did every time he heard Lois laugh. It was a feeling he still hadn't gotten used to, and one he never wanted to. He wanted to feel joy at the sound of her laugh for years and years to come.

Clark reached out his right hand and touched the crystal, causing it to light up.

"_Kal-El. I was expecting you to come, sooner or later._"

Could this really be his mother's voice? It was so soft and soothing, so filled with love. "Lara?"

"_Yes, Kal-El. I am your mother. Or at least the vocal representation that passes for her these days._"

Clark shook his head. It sounded just like something Lois would say. Perhaps there was more to his attraction to her than he thought.

"I...I don't even know what to say. I never thought this would really happen."

"_I love you, Kal-El. I always have._"

It was as if she knew what he needed to hear, even though he didn't know himself. Yet another thing she had in common with Lois.

"Why did you leave me?"

"_I have never left you, my Kal-El. I have always been with you, in your heart, guiding you. And I will always be with you, till the end._

"_I left you in body only because I had no other choice. If I could have come with you, I would have. But I could not, and so I ensured that you would have a mother's love, even though you could not have me. It was for this reason that I sent you to the Kent's._"

"So you did choose my parents, then?"

"_Yes, your father and I did. Jor-El met Hirum Kent many years ago, and I met Martha Clark a few years before you were born. We knew you would be in good hands._"

"Wait, you've been to Earth before too?"

"_I have. I was sent by your father to track down a rogue Kryptonian criminal who had fled to Earth to escape judgment. He was caught and sentenced to the Phantom Zone, where he still remains._"

Clark recognized the reference to the Phantom Zone, although he didn't quite remember what it was. All he could remember was that it was some type of Kryptonian prison. He could always go back and check on it later. There was, however, one thing that didn't quite make sense.

"If you met my mother before she married my dad, then how did you know she would raise me?"

"_As you will learn from your studies, the hand of fate is a powerful force. Once or twice in a generation, there is a couple that is so key to the survival of the world, that fate itself works to pull the couple together. We have the technology to detect these people. Martha Clark and Jonathan Kent are such a couple, as were your father and I. On Krypton, marriages of these couples are arranged at birth._"

"But my parents are simple farmers. Why would they be tied to the fate of the world?"

"_Why a couple is important to the world is impossible to determine until after the fact. But the consequences if fate is prevented are severe. The man responsible for the destruction of Krypton was such a man, but he went against the law and married another. It is believed that if he had married correctly, he would not have become the man he did, and Krypton would not have been destroyed._

"_I, however, believe Jor-El and I and Martha and Jonathan were chosen because of you. Jor-El and I had to wed to give birth to you, and Martha and Jonathan had to wed to raise you._

"_Kal-El, your destiny is great indeed. This world is in desperate need of hope, and you have the heart to inspire that hope in them. There are forces unknown to you now that do not want to see you succeed. They will stop at nothing to see that hope destroyed. That is why it is so important that you continue your training now, while there is still time to prepare. The future is certain if you do not continue your training, and it is a future very close to the future that was in store for Krypton. A great many lives hang in the balance, and only you hold the key to keeping the balance in favor of Earth._"

"This is too much. How will I know what to do, when the time comes?"

"_Follow your heart, my young Kal-El. Cleave to it, and keep it pure. Your heart for people is your greatest strength. Do not ever lose it. Do not ever stop loving this world. Do not ever stop believing in people. Do not ever give up hope. Do these things, and the rest will take care of itself._

"_I must leave you now, Kal-El. The time for your training has come. The sun has risen, and your destiny awaits. May the light guide you._"

The last echo of his mother's voice faded as the white light that had been emitting from the crystal disappeared. Clark looked at Lois in awe, and Lois looked at him with a similar expression. They both just stood there, hand in hand, in shock about what they had learned.

Clark attempted to say something, but each time the words simply didn't seem to fit. Finally, he blurted out the only description of events that was truly appropriate.

"Wow!"

Lois nodded. "Wow indeed."


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter Twenty-Seven**

The day passed slowly for Lois. After Clark's conversation with his mother, he had returned to his _Ice Cycle of Knowledge_, as she had dubbed it, and she had been left to her own devices. Her first thought had been to organize the room more to her liking, but she realized almost immediately that that was impossible. The room needed personal touches, but she couldn't add those personal touches from where she was. Pictures, blankets, tablecloths. All of these things were located in the outside world. And she couldn't exactly leave to go get them.

She really wanted a shower, too, but again, such was located in the outside world. Although the lack of toiletries didn't make a whole lot of sense. Didn't Kryptonians shower? and pee, for that matter?

And then there was the issue of breakfast. There were shelves galore for the storage of food, but no food in sight. Yet another thing that the outside world had that she needed. If she was going to stay for months, or even years, there were certain items that she was going to need. Even a simple change of clothing would have been nice. It was then that she had decided to break the topic with Lara. She couldn't exactly stay if doing so was going to kill her.

Her conversation with Lara had been rather...interesting. Apparently her room was more equipped than she had thought. A door, that hadn't really looked like a door at first, near one of the couches on the right side of the room actually opened (and, of course, it did so just like something out of Star Trek) to reveal a toiletries area, with all the sparks and whistles. Well, sort of. There was no running water, but the sink, shower, and toilet did all use a very interesting kind of air. And after showering in it, she knew she would never want to go back to mere water again. She felt cleaner and more refreshed than she had ever felt in her life. Her fifteen minute shower was comparable to some of the hour or hour and a half showers she had the tenancy to take. The stuff was simply amazing. Yet another Kryptonian technology that she did not understand.

And speaking of Kryptonian technology she did not understand, there was the replicator, as she had dubbed it. Sadly, it didn't work quite like the Star Trek devices by the same name. There would be no hot coffee in the mornings for her. It generated only two items: water and some sort of energy bar. The water she could understand. She was, after all, in a fortress surrounded by ice and snow. But the energy bar didn't appear to have a source. It was generated out of thin air, it seemed.

While the bar wasn't exactly tasty, it wasn't bad, either. It was certainly better than some of the military rations she had had on some of her trips around the world. It would do until Clark was allowed to go get her some real food.

Even her changes of clothing had been provided, although it was clearly Kryptonian in design. White. Every single item was white. Completely and totally white. But at least there was a variety in the clothing's design. And by variety, she meant that there were exactly three different designs, each with the same weird symbol embroidered, in white, of course, near the heart. A shield with an S in the center. Except for the S, the symbol was identical to the symbol that had been on the silver stone.

The three designs were all fairly simple. A body length robe, a pair of pants and a matching blouse, and a jacket. Now that she thought about it, all three designs could likely be worn at once. So perhaps it really was just one outfit. There were, however, several changes of each, and after her shower, she had put on a pair of pants and a blouse. At least they were comfortable.

After her conversation with Lara, her shower, and breakfast, Lois was at a loss. There really wasn't much else to do, other than study. There was a terminal that came up from the floor in front of each of the two couches, giving her access to the entire body of Kryptonian knowledge and thought, conveniently translated into English. But there was only so much studying she could do before she got bored. That is, until she found out that more than just scientific research and endless formulas were available to her. Very well written Kryptonian history and poetry was contained in the database as well.

Even with reading as a distraction, the day seemed to drag on by. It was lonely, without Clark there to talk to. Or anyone, really. She had always been an independent person, but this was ridiculous. It was simply too quiet. She needed human contact. Or a TV. Or something productive to do. But most of all, she needed Clark.

And so her day past by fairly uneventfully. She would read for a few hours, then take a break, put on a jacket and a robe, and sit and just watch Clark study. It was at those times that she remembered why she had chosen to stay, and his mere presence calmed her and satisfied her. But eventually she would have to return to her room, the cold being to much for her to handle.

A time or two she even ventured out of the fortress, exploring the area around her. She didn't venture far, however, as there was only so much of the extreme temperatures she could take. Still, it was a welcome break from the monotony that the day had given her so far.

At long last the day began to come to a close, as the sun began to set in the west. Her excitement increased. She was going to get to talk to Clark! She spent the last few minutes of daylight watching Clark, waiting for him to come to her. At last, the _Ice Cycle of Knowledge_ faded, and Clark began to move, attempting to gain his bearings. Lois couldn't wait any longer. She ran to him and embraced him, knocking them both over. Clark landed flat on his back, and Lois landed on top of him.

He smiled. "Excited to see me?"

She leaned in slowly and kissed him on the lips gently, answering his question. The kiss was slow at first, as she savored the moment. Clark put his arms around her and deepened the kiss, and Lois felt his happiness explode, just as her own heart filled with the same. Then she pulled back and looked into his beautiful eyes.

"You're happy to see me too, I take it."

Clark smiled. "How can you tell?"

"Well, for one, we're floating."

"Oh." He took a look around, a bit surprised. "I didn't know I could do that."

"Well I could, so why couldn't you?"

"I suppose your right," he said, then his eyes widened, and he began to worry.

"What is it?"

"Uh...how do I get down?"

* * *

"So how was your day?"

Clark was sitting at the round table in their room, and Lois was sitting across from him. It felt unusual to not have her sitting next to him, but the advantage to sitting across from her was that he could look her in the eye and eat at the same time. Still, he missed the contact, and had caught himself several times already inching his foot closer to hers. A game of footsie was not something that he needed at the moment. Her kiss earlier had already opened certain lines of thought that he was struggling to repress.

After their kiss, and a crash course in the art of flying from Lois, Clark had flown her to a local Wal-Mart (Clark hadn't even realized the Yukon had Wal-Marts), where they had picked up various "essentials". New clothes, blankets, a decent stock of food, and a TV/DVD combo were among a few of the items Lois simply "had to have". And he understood. Their room didn't have any sort of personal touch, and that was what it needed if it were to feel like a home. Although the TV had been a bit much, seeing as how he didn't have an outlet to plug it in to. It had taken him an hour to figure out how to adapt Kryptonian technology so that it would power the TV.

While Clark had been working on the TV, Lois had busied herself by organizing the room, finding a place for everything. Clark had to admit, she was an excellent organizer. Once she put her mind to something, she accomplished it. Nothing would get in her way. He still didn't quite understand how such a woman could be so insecure at times. Or not finish high-school, for that matter. Yet another in a long line of things he did not understand about her, but that he wanted to find out. She was truly an amazing woman. And once she had finished touching up, their room had looked immensely better. All it needed was a few pictures, and it would feel like a real apartment.

And this brought them to their current activity: dinner. It wasn't anything fancy, as neither of them were very good cooks, but it was better than the Kryptobars, as Lois had seen fit to name them, that the replicator spit out.

"It was okay," Lois said, in response to his question about her day. "I did some reading and spent some time exploring. The shower is really cool. It doesn't use water, but some weird type of air. Yet it works better than water, and feels amazing. I've got to hand it to Kryptonians. They may not know jack when it comes to style, but they sure have the cool technology down squat."

Lois continued, over the course of their dinner, to describe the events of her day, which seemed to be rather bland. Clark shared some of the interesting things he had learned about Krypton, and Lois made comments about them, making him laugh. Overall, their evening was enjoyable. He enjoyed being with Lois, no matter what the situation. Still, there was some small thing that bothered him throughout the meal, something he couldn't quite place his finger on. Something was missing, but he didn't know what it was.

After dinner was finished, the two of them got ready for bed. Lois put on a pair of flannel pajamas, and Clark stripped to his boxers and then put on one of the white robes. Lois got into bed, which she had fitted with sheets and a comforter, and patted the place beside her, welcoming him to sleep with her. He hesitated a moment, before climbing into bed with her and taking her into his arms.

"Good night, Lois."

"Good night, Clark."

It was then, in that moment, that it hit him. He suddenly realized what had been bothering him the entire night, and what he needed to do. He struggled with the idea at first, but in the end he relented. It needed to be done. But not today. Not tonight. It could wait until morning. He could give her one last night with him. She deserved at least that.

Lois stirred beside him, and rolled over so that they were facing each other. He felt her concern, and saw it in her eyes. She knew something was bothering him. But perhaps she would wait until morning to bring it up.

"Smallville, what's on your mind?"

He sighed. It looked like this conversation couldn't wait until morning after all.

* * *

Lois was deeply concerned. Something was bothering Clark, and from the look in his eyes, it was something big.

"Smallville, what is it?" she repeated.

"I've been thinking about us, and about you."

"What about us?"

"Have you thought about possibly returning to Smallville?"

Lois didn't quite like where the conversation was headed, but if it was bothering Clark, then they needed to talk about it. "Yes, I did, and I decided I'd rather stay here with you. This is where I belong, by your side. You want me in your life too, don't you?"

"Yes, Lois. There is no question about that. But I can't let you sacrifice your life to be here with me."

Pain slowly started to seep into her heart. Was Clark really telling her that they had to part ways? Was he breaking up with her? "It's no sacrifice, Smallville. I want to be with you."

"I know you do. I want to be with you too. But I want to be with the real you. And this isn't who you are. You aren't the sit at home housewife type. That's not who I fell in love with. You need to go your own way, and find your own destiny."

Lois struggled to hold in the tears that were threatening to fall. "Are you...are you breaking up with me?"

"What? No, Lois. I don't think I could do that even if I tried. I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. But I need to do this. And I can't let you stay here, at least not permanently. You've got to find your own destiny. You have such a great heart for others and such a rare talent. You are the smartest person I know. I don't want to see you waist that for me. We will be together. Our destinies are linked. Jor-El said that we would not switch back until two things happened. 'Preparation must come before battle. Strength must come from connection.' This is my preparation before battle. I don't know what is ahead, but I need to be ready for it. But whatever it is, I won't be able to face it without you. You are my strength, Lois, and I have never felt more connected to anyone in my life.

"This separation will not tear us apart. I know we can make this work. I am very serious about making this work, about seeing where this will take us. But I need to do it here, and you need to do it in Smallville, or where ever you decide to go. I've got to find my life, and you've got to find yours, but neither of our lives are going to be lived without the other.

"I learned today about the sequence of Kryptonian learning. To make a long story short, every two weeks I will have an entire day of rest, and I plan on spending those days with you. And if there is ever a time that you need me, I will be there in a second. But I need to do this, and you need to go to college and follow your dreams."

"But two days a month? Smallville, how will we ever get to know each other if we are only able to spend two nights a month together? How could we ever become more than friends?"

"We are already more than friends, Lois. But hold that thought," Clark said, holding his finger out to her. "I'll be right back."

Then in a burst of wind, he was gone. And wherever he had gone, it was far away. With each passing mile, her connection to him faded. And it hit her. If she left, not only would she be giving up him, but she would be giving up their connection as well. A tear fell from her face. She understood the why. She had made all of the same arguments herself. And she understood the how. She would be able to see him twice a month. At least she had been given that. But was it enough? Could they truly be more than just friends and only see each other twice a month?

She wanted to know Clark, inside and out. But if she left she would be missing out on so much of his life, and he would miss out on so much of her life. How could they possibly get to know each other as well as she wanted to get to know him with so little time spent together? She understood why they needed to take things slow. But this slow?

A sudden burst of wind blew the stray locks of hair from her face, and Clark was once again beside her, lying on the bed.

"I have something for you." He held out his hand and produced a large yet very attractive bracelet.

"What is this?"

"Do you remember the painting of my soulmate in the caves?"

"Yes."

"This is the bracelet she wore. And I want you to have it."

Lois was speechless. Once again, the happiness inside her could not be expressed in words. It wasn't just the bracelet that he was giving her. It was a promise. A promise of more. A lot more. He thought of her as his soulmate! The one person he would spend the rest of his life with.

Clark held it out, as if offering to help her put it on, and Lois held out her right hand. He slipped it on her wrist and fastened it. The instant it was in place, it flashed brightly, and her heart began to race. A flood of emotions flowed from Clark, stronger than she had ever felt before. It was as if she was truly inside him, feeling everything he was feeling as he was feeling it. One emotion overwhelmed all others. Love. Deep and unconditional love. The feeling was so strong, she could almost hear them as words. _I love you, Lois Lane. I love you more than I can possibly describe._

"Wow."

"I know. Isn't it amazing? The bracelet is more than just a symbol. It connects you to me, and me to you."

Lois heard the words, but she didn't see Clark move his lips. How had he just done that?

"_I can project my thoughts to you, Lois. Whenever you are wearing this, no matter where you are or where I am, you will be able to talk to me, and I will be able to talk to you._"

Lois' mouth dropped. "Are you serious?"

"Yes," he said, this time with words. "Lara used one like it to keep in contact with Jor-El when she came to Earth to track down Zod, the fugitive she mentioned earlier. You'll need to keep it off, for obvious reasons, while I am training, but this will allow you to talk to me no matter what day of the month it is. Lois, I don't want to lose you. You are the most important thing in my life. But I love you, and I want you to be able to live your life. You need to return home. You need to go to college, meet new people, and find yourself. You deserve to experience all of that. But you shouldn't have to give me up to have the life you deserve."

"_You are the most amazing man I have ever met. Thank you, Smallville._"

"Your welcome, Lois. You're the most amazing woman I have ever met. And you deserve it."

Clark leaned in and kissed her, and Lois' world, once again, exploded with happiness. Then he pulled away slowly and rested his forehead against her own, closing his eyes and taking her hand in his.

Lois' own eyes grew heavy. It had been a long day, and she was physically and emotionally tired. She closed her eyes, content to fall asleep beside the man she loved. They would say their goodbyes in the morning. Tonight, it was just the two of them. The way it should be.

* * *

Morning came to soon for Clark. Despite all he had said the night before, he really didn't want Lois to leave. He enjoyed seeing her every night when he finished the day's study, and he loved sleeping with her. But to ask her to stay would be selfish, and he loved her too much to be selfish. He was still amazed at how quickly he had fallen for her. But then she was the most amazing person he had ever met. He sighed softly. He was really going to miss her.

He opened his eyes and found himself staring into the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. Her deep hazel eyes looked at him in return, and she smiled.

"Good morning, Smallville."

"Good morning, gorgeous."

A forced frown slid across her face, and Clark eyed her questioningly. "You love me only because I'm gorgeous, is that it?" It was said in all seriousness, but the small smirk hiding just behind her eyes gave her away.

"Well, you are fully equipped in the assets department," he replied, taking his eyes off her for a moment to scan the area just below her neck.

"Smallville!" She punched him on his shoulder, and he exaggerated the force of the blow by rolling off the bed.

"Ow!" he said, poking his head just above the bed. "What was that for?"

"You know very well what that was for, and I know very well that it did not hurt." She sat up, crossed her arms in front of her, and planted a look of determination on her face. Clark hated it and loved it when she did that. He hated it, because it meant she was about to make him do something that he wasn't going to be able to refuse, and he loved it because despite how scary she looked, he thought it was rather cute. "Now you are going to make it right. Do you hear me?"

"Yes ma'am! What does my princess require of me?"

"Queen!"

"Oh, right. I'm so very sorry. What does my queen require of me?"

"Tell me why you really love me."

Clark was only happy to oblige, but there was still some fun to be had. "Well, you're beautiful. You've got a well formed body. You let me sleep with you. You-"

"Smallville!"

He laughed at her reaction, then continued. "As I was saying...You're smart. You make me laugh. I can be myself around you. You bring out the best in me. You have one of the biggest hearts I have ever seen, yet you try to come off as a smart ass anyway. You're independent, and can handle anything that is thrown your way, yet you still let me help you. Your honest, sometimes brutally honest, and don't let me wallow away in pity parties. You don't back down once you've set your mind to something. You cry during sappy commercials, yet never when anyone is around. You're allergic to Shelby. You drive to fast, but only when you are by yourself. You have the most amazing smile, and it always brightens my day.

"I love you, Lois. Everything about you. Ever part, every character quirk. Every strength, and every flaw. So when I tell you you're gorgeous, I'm not saying it because of how you look, which, by the way, you do look gorgeous," he said with a wink. "When I tell you you're gorgeous, I say it because you are the most beautiful and amazing person I have ever met. You light my heart on fire every time you enter the room. Your laugh makes my heart skip, as you may have noticed. The more I learn about you, the more I fall in love with who you are. You're the woman that makes me take a step back each morning to wonder how I ever became so lucky to receive your love. You're my strength, my comfort, and my all. You are my soulmate, and I would count myself blessed to spend my life with you."

Clark pulled himself back up on the bed, took her hand, and kissed it. Then he let his words sink in for a few moments.

"So?"

Lois, who's heart was overflowing with amazement, looked at him in confusion. "So what?"

"How'd I do?"

"Oh." She put her hand to her chin, and stared off into space, as if she was thinking intently, then looked back at him. "It wasn't bad, I guess."

"Now who's being less than honest?"

"You've just given me the most amazing moment of my entire life. There? You happy now?"

"Not yet." Then he leaned in and kissed her gently, a kiss she returned whole-heartedly. The kiss deepened, and Lois wrapped her arms around Clark's neck as Clark's hands drifted to her back. When their lips slowly pulled away, his emotional wall broke, and the tears began to fall. He embraced her and rested his head on her shoulder, as she did the same. "I'm really going to miss you."

Lois started to produce sniffles of her own, and Clark heard each and every tear that fell from her eyes. "I'm going to miss you too, my Smallville."

And there they sat, holding each other, until Clark felt the time of his training approaching. He pulled away slowly, but couldn't find the words to say.

"_It's time, isn't it?_" Lois said, without words.

"_Very soon._"

"_I love you, Clark Kent._"

"_And I love you, Lois Lane._"

They pulled themselves off the bed, and took each other by the hand. Clark walked with her, leaving their room and heading to the portal that he knew would send her home. He motioned for her to step onto the pedastal, and she did, although she did not release his hand. He squeezed it tightly, then attempted to release her, but she pulled him close for one last hug. He let her have it.

"_I have to go, Lois. And so do you._"

"I know. I'll see you in two weeks?"

He pulled away, and looked her in the eye. "Two weeks." He handed her the octagonal key. "Today is Wednesday. You can come back Tuesday night at sunset, in two weeks, and stay until Thursday morning. Put the key in the slot in the wall to open the stone room, then put the key in its slot on the table. That will take you here. Goodbye, Lois. I love you."

"Goodbye, Smallville. I love you too."

Clark pulled a crystal out of his robe, and put it in the slot next to the pedestal. The area around her flashed a bright white color, and she was gone. Clark let out a long sigh, wiped the tears from his eyes, and made his way towards the training room to pick up his studies.

Just as he was about to step up to resume his studies, he heard one last "_I love you_" from Lois, which he responded to in kind, before feeling their connection fade to almost nothing. She had removed the bracelet. He sighed again. Two weeks couldn't come soon enough.

* * *

Lois looked at the bracelet in her hands longfully for a few moments, before putting it in her purse and zipping it up. She wasn't about to lose it. It was her lifeline to Clark. Once she returned to the Kent farm, she would find a safe place for it, in a fireproof safe, just to make sure, and keep it there except for when she had it on.

She sat a moment in the cave, just taking in the view. It really was a beautiful place, and it reminded her of Clark. She imagined it really would become a place of escape for her, for when she needed to clear her mind or even when she was missing Clark. Like right now, and five seconds from now, and five minutes from now. She didn't imagine she was going to stop missing Clark anytime soon. But she couldn't spend all of her time here. That defeated the whole purpose of leaving Clark in the first place.

Lois focused her mind, then stood up with determination. It was time to face her new life. Her life with Clark, but separate from him. It didn't make much sense, she knew, but it was the way things were. And the way things were going to be for a while.

As she made her way out of the cave, her eyes fell upon the painting that represented Clark's soulmate. Her. She smiled brightly. He was her soulmate, too. If he had asked her to marry him, she would have said yes. Chloe was right, at least partly. In less than a week, they had started sleeping together, even if it wasn't exactly the kind of sleeping Chloe had had in mind, and in less than two weeks, Lois had gotten to the point where she was willing to marry Clark Kent. She wasn't going to have sex with him or marry him within two weeks time, but if the opportunity to do either had presented itself, she would have taken it. And to think, they had barely been friends the week before. Whoever had arranged their body switch had certainly known what they were doing. It had been just the thing to wake both of them up to how they really felt. Even if it had been rather weird at times.

Lois pulled out her phone and dialed the Kent's to let them know they needed to come pick her up. Then she sat down outside the cave and waited for the familiar red truck to pull up the road. As she waited, she thought about everything that had happened over the past five days. They had been through a lot, and the future was still unknown. But she took comfort in the fact that whatever the future held, there was one thing that would remain constant. Clark would always be a major part of her life. She smiled at that. The future was a lot brighter than it had been a week ago. And she was excited to find out what came next.

**The End**


	28. Promo for Sequel

**Promo - Entity  
**

Lois and Clark. Fate brought them together. Destiny pulled them apart. Love sealed their hearts forever. But when a dark entity from the past sets its sights on Earth, their union will be faced with the greatest challenge it has ever known. Evil is everywhere. No one can be trusted. Each choice could decide the fate of the entire world. All they have is each other, and each of them will be called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. In a time desperate for heroes, will a super man or a monster emerge from the ashes?

From the author of Transfer comes the exciting sequel. Promises will be made. Destinies will be revealed. Love will be tested. And the world will be changed forever.

The journey begins...now! Check it out on my profile!


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